Ahmadinejad Claims Mossad Penetrated Iran's Own Anti-Mossad Unit

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed in an interview with CNN Turkey that a unit established to counter Israeli intelligence operations was itself infiltrated by Mossad agents. Ahmadinejad alleged that the Mossad, Israel’s top security agency, had placed one of its agents in charge of the very unit tasked with combating its activities.

According to Ahmadinejad, 20 other individuals working within this unit were also Mossad operatives, who he claimed were responsible for stealing sensitive Iranian nuclear documents and orchestrating the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists. The former president asserted that the alleged Mossad agents have since fled Iran and are now living in Israel.

These claims, which Ahmadinejad is making for the first time, have neither been confirmed nor denied, and no supporting evidence has been presented to date. Nevertheless, Ahmadinejad’s allegations come at a time of heightened tensions over Israel’s covert operations in Iran, particularly related to its nuclear program.

Since stepping down from the presidency in 2013, Ahmadinejad has attempted to return to power, most recently following the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in a plane crash. However, his political comeback has been unsuccessful so far.

Concerns over infiltration within the Iranian government and military have been growing, especially following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July. According to reports, Mossad allegedly recruited two members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to plant a bomb under Haniyeh’s bed. The IRGC men, members of the Ansar al-Mahdi security unit responsible for securing the guesthouse where Haniyeh stayed, were reportedly offered large sums of money and new identities in exchange for their cooperation.

The explosive device was detonated remotely, and within hours, the Mossad operatives involved were smuggled out of Iran, allegedly receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars and relocation to a country in northern Europe.

Ahmadinejad’s recent claims add another layer to the ongoing shadow war between Israel and Iran, with Mossad’s operations at the center of Tehran’s concerns over its national security.

Share this story and subscribe to our newsletter for further updates on Middle East security developments.