United States and Israel agree timing of attack on Iran one week before diplomatic talks

Moscow — The United States and Israel agreed on the timing of military strikes against Iran one week before US-Iran nuclear negotiations in Geneva, according to media reports citing US officials.

The agreement set Saturday as the time for carrying out the attack, coinciding with a meeting between Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior aides at the government complex, reported Axios on Sunday.

Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, alongside US special envoy Steve Witkoff assessed that the Geneva negotiations had little chance of producing an agreement. However, they decided to attend to maintain the perception of diplomacy among Iranian officials.

During the meeting, Kushner and Witkoff contacted US Vice President JD Vance and conveyed that significant differences between the two sides remained unresolved, according to the report.

The third round of US-Iran talks regarding Tehran’s nuclear programme ended Thursday evening in Geneva. On Saturday, the US and Israel launched a series of attacks against multiple targets in Iran, including Tehran.

The strikes reportedly caused damage and civilian casualties. Iran’s state television confirmed the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a result of the attacks.

Iran responded by launching missile strikes against Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East region.

The Indonesian government has called on all parties to exercise restraint and prioritise diplomatic solutions in response to escalating Middle East conflict.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stated Indonesia’s readiness to serve as a mediator to promote dialogue between the United States, Israel, and Iran.