Explained: How Iran started intelligence division to fight Mossad, but its agents were all working for Mossad, stole nuclear documents

In 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that a large number of Iran's nuclear programme documents had been acquired by Israeli agents. He displayed the documents during a high-profile speech and alleged that they demonstrated Iran's covert nuclear weapons programme.

The head of the Lebanese terrorist organisation Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, died on 27th September in Israeli air strikes. His dead body was recovered on 29th September. The strike was approved by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu while he was attending a United Nations meet in New York. The dead body of the dreaded terrorist was recovered from his bunker in Beirut which was destroyed in the Israeli air strikes.

As per Reuters, while Hezbollah’s statement confirming Nasrallah’s death did not say how exactly he was killed nor when his funeral would be held, sources said that his body had no direct wounds and that the cause of death was blunt trauma from the force of the blast from Israeli strikes. Nasrallah and other leaders of Hezbollah were conducting a meeting in an underground bunker when Israel hit them, resulting in the death of Nasrallah along with other Hezbollah leaders.

The death of Hassan Nasrallah has reignited debate on the allegations levelled by Iran’s former President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, that Israel’s Mossad infiltrated Iranian intelligence apparatus. In an interview with CNN Turk in 2021, Ahmadinejad claimed that the head of a key Iranian intelligence unit, established to thwart Israeli espionage efforts, was in fact an Israeli agent. The revelations, if found to be true, will raise serious questions about Iran’s intelligence vulnerabilities and the effectiveness of its security services.

Ahmadinejad served as President until 2013. During the interview, he alleged that by 2021, it became apparent that the person in charge of the intelligence unit tasked with countering Mossad’s operations was himself an operative for Israel. He further added that, in addition to the head of the unit, 20 other intelligence operatives in the division were found to be agents of the Israeli agency Mossad. He claimed that the level of infiltration made it possible for foreign agencies to carry out operations within Iran, including the 2018 theft of Iranian nuclear documents and the assassination of key nuclear scientists.

In 2018, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that a large number of Iran’s nuclear programme documents had been acquired by Israeli agents. He displayed the documents during a high-profile speech and alleged that they demonstrated Iran’s covert nuclear weapons programme. Later, the allegations were confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which verified that the documents were seized during an operation in Tehran. According to reports, Mossad agents broke into a warehouse in Tehran and took over 100,000 classified papers by breaking safes in a six-hour operation.

Translation of 2021 interview

Here is the translation of the 2021 interview from CNN Turk.

Before the Iranian presidential elections on June 18, the rejected candidate, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, continues to make statements. Most recently, it has been alleged that the highest-ranking official in the counterintelligence unit of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence is an Israeli agent.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former president of Iran, whose candidacy for the June 18 election was rejected, continues his remarks. In a recent interview, Ahmadinejad claimed that the head of the unit responsible for countering Israeli operations within the Ministry of Intelligence is an Israeli agent. He further stated that Israel’s influence extends to the highest levels of Iran’s government, particularly within the intelligence and security sectors.

Ahmadinejad also said that Israel can conduct complex operations within Iran, including stealing critical nuclear documents from highly sensitive units. He attributed this to the extensive influence of Israel within Iran’s administration and the continued silence surrounding the Israeli agent’s activities.

Last Thursday, Yossi Cohen, the director of Israel’s external intelligence agency Mossad, also revealed that they had obtained Iran’s secret nuclear documents over a two-year operation with a team of 20 Iranians, none of whom were Israeli or Jewish. Ahmadinejad’s statements followed Cohen’s revelations.

Ahmadinejad’s warning to Iran’s leadership

Ahmadinejad’s allegations echoed his long-standing criticism of the current regime in Iran. By claiming that Israeli agents infiltrated Iranian intelligence, his assertions added to growing concerns over the extent to which Israel has increased its penetrations of Iranian critical assets. In his interview, he suggested that Israel’s operations inside Iran are extensive and effective to the point that they pose a serious threat to the highest-ranking officials in the country.

Notably, apart from revelations that Mossad infiltrated Iranian intelligence, in 2021, former intelligence minister Ali Younesi admitted that Mossad had deep infiltration across government departments in Iran and that top officials feared for their safety.

Israel’s regional operations extend beyond Iran

According to reports, Mossad’s infiltration has not only exposed Iran’s internal vulnerabilities but also those of its proxy networks in Lebanon. Mossad’s influence in the region has been demonstrated through targeted operations against Hezbollah and the assassination of its key figures, including Hassan Nasrallah, who was recently killed in an air strike. The operation leading to Nasrallah’s death highlighted Mossad’s capabilities to operate beyond Israel’s borders. It is evident that Mossad has significant reach across the region, specifically in Iran and Lebanon.

Iranian intelligence in crisis

As Israel continues to conduct high-profile operations inside Iran, the debate within Iran about the competence of its intelligence services has found new momentum with Ahmadinejad’s revelations.