Washington | The US and Israel were considering installing hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the president of Iran as part of the plans for regime change in the Persian Gulf nation in the early days of the war, according to a media report.
Former Iranian President Ahmadinejad, known for his anti-Israel, anti-America views, was consulted by the US and Israel as they drew up war plans targeting Iran, The New York Times reported.
However, Ahmadinejad was injured in an Israeli strike on the first day of the war and soon became disillusioned with the plan for regime change, the report said, quoting US officials.
It said the Israeli strike at Ahmadinejad's residence in Tehran was intended to free him from house arrest.
Known for his frequent calls to "wipe Israel off the map" during his presidency from 2005-13, Ahmadinejad had become critical of the Iranian rulers, accusing them of corruption.
He has been placed under house arrest for the past few years and the Iranian rulers had even disqualified him from subsequent presidential elections.
That American and Israeli officials saw Ahmadinejad as a potential leader of a new government in Iran is further evidence that the war in February was launched with the hopes of installing more pliable leadership in Tehran, the report said.
An associate of Ahmadinejad confirmed to The New York Times that the former Iranian President saw the strike at his residence as an attempt to free him.
The associate said the Americans viewed Ahmadinejad as someone who could lead Iran, and had the capability to manage "Iran's political, social and military situation," the NYT reported.
Ahmadinejad would have been able to "play a very important role" in Iran in the near future, the associate said, suggesting that the United States saw him as similar to Delcy Rodriguez, who took power in Venezuela after American forces seized Nicolas Maduro and has since worked closely with the Trump administration, the associate said.
