From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Ahmadinejad shown on Iran state TV day after reports he once met with Mossad chief and was to be installed as Iran’s leader
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Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was shown earlier today on Iranian state TV at a memorial event in Tehran for the slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei, multiple outlets report, including Israel’s Kan public broadcaster and the opposition Iran International media outlet.
Ahmadinejad was reported by The New York Times yesterday to have met in 2024 with Mossad chief David Barnea as part of a plan to have him installed as Iran’s leader, and to have been taken to a safe house by Mossad operatives on February 28, the day Israeli airstrikes killed Khamenei, before electing to leave that safe house.
He was believed to be in IRGC custody over his ties with Israeli intelligence. Israel’s Haaretz daily also published details of the alleged Mossad-Ahmadinejad interactions.
In the footage shown today, Ahmadinejad looks wan but raises a hand in apparent reassurance to somebody off-camera, smiles and nods.
לאחר שנטען כי הוא נמצא במעצר בית בשל קשריו המתפתחים עם המוסד, היום הופיע הנשיא האיראני לשעבר מחמוד אחמדינז'אד באירוע לזכר המנהיג העליון המחוס, עלי ח'מינאי pic.twitter.com/Th7ptpJklz
— roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) July 14, 2026
Earlier today, Ahmadinejad’s office dismissed The New York Times report, calling the allegations “Hollywood-style claims” that were “not worthy of denial.” It accused the newspaper of publishing “fabricated” material. It also denied that Ahmadinejad was under house arrest, saying he was working as usual.
The Times of Israel Community.