The United States and Israel reportedly devised a plan to install former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Iran’s new leader following a targeted operation intended to destabilize the current regime. The plan, however, was quickly undermined after Ahmadinejad was injured in a March airstrike aimed at rescuing him from house arrest, leading to his withdrawal from the scheme.

According to reported accounts, the plot aimed to decapitate Iran’s ruling establishment and replace it with Ahmadinejad, a controversial figure known for his hardline stance during his presidency from 2005 to 2013. Throughout his tenure, Ahmadinejad was a vocal critic of both the United States and Israel, aggressively advancing Iran’s nuclear program and issuing inflammatory statements including his pledge to "wipe Israel off the map." Despite his hardline reputation, Israeli officials viewed Ahmadinejad as a potential pragmatist due to his public accusations of corruption within the Iranian clerical leadership.

Ahmadinejad’s relationship with the U.S. appeared to shift somewhat later in his political career. In 2019, he characterized then-President Donald Trump as a “man of action” and indicated openness to improved relations with the Trump administration. This perceived pragmatism contributed to Israel’s preference for him as a successor who might break with the current regime’s policies while maintaining an anti-clerical stance.

The airstrike that injured Ahmadinejad was reportedly part of an effort to extricate him from house arrest, but the operation backfired, leaving him incapacitated and dissatisfied with the plan to reinstall him as leader. His decision to abandon the initiative effectively stalled the plot to alter the Iranian leadership through a sudden regime change.

While the full details and motivations behind the U.S.-Israel strategy remain unclear, the episode highlights the complexities and risks involved in foreign attempts to influence Iran’s internal politics. Ahmadinejad’s suitability as a figurehead for regime change was questioned from the outset given his controversial history and conflicting signals in recent years. The failure of the plan underscores the ongoing challenges faced by external actors seeking to reshape Iran’s political landscape.