Islamic Republic's psychological warfare is targeting trust between Iranians and Israel - opinion

Iranian journalist Tina Ghazimorad argues that Iranians increasingly trust Israel as the only actor able to confront the regime. She warns that recent media reports, including in The New York Times and Haaretz, claiming Israel considered bringing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power, serve as psychological warfare damaging this trust. She asserts the regime spreads conspiracy theories, including about Kurdish invasion, to undermine the Iran-Israel friendship.

In this opinion piece, Iranian journalist Tina Ghazimorad asserts that many Iranians have developed a growing trust in Israel, viewing it as the only actor with the determination and strategic clarity to confront the Islamic Republic's military capabilities, nuclear ambitions, and leadership. She argues this trust is a strategic asset that must be protected against deliberate campaigns of subversion. Ghazimorad criticizes recent reports in The New York Times and Haaretz claiming Israeli intelligence once contemplated bringing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power. She calls this narrative a devastating psychological operation that targets the trust Iranians place in Israel. She describes Ahmadinejad as a symbol of domestic terror and democratic betrayal, citing the rigged 2009 election and the brutal suppression of the Green Movement. She also mentions his Holocaust denial and antisemitic rhetoric. The author argues that the Islamic Republic's propaganda machine spreads conspiracy theories, including rumors that Israel planned to use Kurdish separatist forces to invade western Iran, to trigger memories of post-1979 conflicts. She claims these are coordinated scenes of a singular narrative born from the regime's fear of Iran-Israel trust. She also criticizes Haaretz for publishing a so-called investigation claiming online support for Reza Pahlavi was an artificial network of Israeli-funded bots, citing the January 8-9, 2026 protests as evidence of organic grassroots support.