Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Denies Mossad Recruitment Allegations

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denied reports from The New York Times alleging that Israel's Mossad intelligence agency attempted to recruit him to lead a regime-change effort in Iran. His office described the claims as "completely false" and "absurd," while also denying reports that he is currently under house arrest.

The New York Times reported that Mossad secretly paid Ahmadinejad for travel and housing and met with him in Budapest. The report further alleged that Israeli operatives attempted to extract him from Tehran in late February during a U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. According to the publication, an Israeli airstrike targeted Ahmadinejad's compound on February 28, after which Mossad operatives allegedly moved him to a secret safe house.

Ahmadinejad recently made his first public appearance since the war by attending the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.