A new report has raised questions about US and Israeli strategy toward Iran, alleging that officials in both countries considered supporting Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's 2005 presidential campaign as a way to destabilize the Iranian regime. The claim, published by the investigative outlet Middle East Eye on May 20, 2026, cites unnamed former US and Israeli intelligence sources.
According to the report, some US and Israeli analysts believed that Ahmadinejad, a populist hardliner, would be less effective than his rivals and could provoke internal divisions. Ahmadinejad served as president from 2005 to 2013, a period marked by controversial nuclear development and harsh rhetoric toward Israel. The report does not provide evidence that any official action was taken to implement such a plan.
The allegations have been denied by former US officials quoted in the article, who called the idea 'speculative.' Israeli officials declined to comment. The report has not been independently verified by other news outlets.
