NYT: US, Israel planned to install Ahmadinejad as Iran's leader after Khamenei killing

The US and Israel had a plan to install a former Iranian hardline president days after both countries launched a war on Iran and killed then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during initial airstrikes on Feb. 28, according to a Tuesday report by The New York Times. US officials told the Times that the "audacious" plan was developed by the Israelis with the approval of the United States government to replace Tehran's leadership with someone from within Iran.

Ahmadinejad as choice

That "someone" was Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, "the former Iranian president known for his hardline, anti-Israel and anti-American views," who was reportedly consulted about the new regime change. The Times noted that he was an "unusual choice" considering he was known during his presidency for his calls to "wipe Israel off the map" and for violently cracking down on internal dissent.

Plan derailed

The initial plan was quickly derailed after Ahmadinejad "was injured on the war's first day by an Israeli strike at his home in Tehran that had been designed to free him from house arrest." Both Ahmadinejad and US officials "became disillusioned with the regime change plan" after the airstrike went awry. Ahmadinejad has not been seen publicly since, and the US does not know his current whereabouts or medical condition.

White House response

The White House did not answer the Times' inquiry about Ahmadinejad's role but released a statement on US war directives. "From the outset, President Trump was clear about his goals for Operation Epic Fury: destroy Iran's ballistic missiles, dismantle their production facilities, sink their navy, and weaken their proxy," spokesperson Anna Kelly said.