In a recent report citing American officials, it was disclosed that during sensitive negotiations between the US and Iran, the US suspected Israel might be plotting to assassinate senior Iranian negotiators. Washington allegedly issued warnings to Tehran through other Middle Eastern nations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi, file photo
During the ceasefire talks in April, US officials were deeply concerned that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf might become targets of Israeli attacks. Some US officials revealed that Washington feared an Israeli assassination attempt could collapse the negotiations, prompting them to warn Iran via other countries in the region.
The report indicated that the Trump administration’s suspicion of Israel potentially plotting to kill Iranian negotiators highlights how US and Israeli goals were initially aligned early in the conflict but later diverged fundamentally. While the US expressed a desire for a peace deal with Iran, Israel remained skeptical.
In response, a spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Washington declined to comment. When asked about Israel’s plans and the warning to Iran, a US official stated that negotiations between the US and Iranian delegations were ongoing. The official added that Trump wanted the peace process to “move forward step by step.”
