New details have emerged about a secret Mossad plan to overthrow Iran’s regime and install Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president—by enlisting Kurdish fighters to attack Revolutionary Guard bases along the Iran–Iraq border. Codenamed ‘Shoed Cat,’ the proposed military operation involved Israeli airstrikes on Revolutionary Guard positions in Iranian Kurdistan, according to Israel’s Channel 13.
Kurdish Fighters and Cross-Border Coordination
These strikes were intended to create openings for Kurdish fighters based in Iraq to cross into Iran and advance into Kurdish-majority cities in the country’s northwest. The goal was for thousands of young Kurds to join Iranian anti-regime protesters, forming a mass movement capable of reaching Tehran itself.
Ahmadinejad as the Intended Successor
The plan also envisioned former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad—who served from 2005 to 2013—as the eventual leader of a post-revolution government. According to Channel 13, the operation ultimately collapsed due to media leaks, pressure from Turkey, and hesitation among Kurdish factions themselves. As a result, Kurdish groups withdrew their support, and the initiative foundered.
Secret Outreach to Ahmadinejad
In a related revelation, the New York Times reported that Israel had conducted a multi-year covert effort to bring Ahmadinejad back to power in Tehran. As part of this campaign, Mossad chief David Barnea met secretly with Ahmadinejad in 2024 on the sidelines of an academic conference in Hungary. Former U.S. officials confirmed Barnea traveled personally to Budapest for the meeting.
In subsequent years, Israel reportedly made several clandestine payments to Ali Akbar Javanfekr—the spokesperson and close associate of Ahmadinejad—and Israeli agents held multiple additional meetings with him before the launch of the separate ‘Roaring Lion’ operation.