US Warned Iran That Israel Might Target Its Negotiators

Istanbul (ANTARA) - United States officials have attempted to warn Iran this spring regarding concerns that Israel may kill Iranian negotiators during talks, as reported by The New York Post on Friday, according to two US officials.

According to these officials, the US is concerned that Israel could target the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, as a key figure in the negotiations, or Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who also plays a vital role in the discussions.

The officials conveyed this warning through intermediaries.

As of Friday (2/7), there have been no direct indications that US intelligence possesses information regarding a specific assassination plot underlying the warning.

However, Israel’s highest defence official has openly expressed support for the assassination of senior Iranian leaders.

Last March, Trump declined to reveal the identity of the Iranian party negotiating with the US to prevent them from becoming targets for assassination, adding that the situation has become complicated.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has denied the reports from The New York Times. In a statement on the X platform, Israel referred to the report as “fake news” and a fabrication that is entirely inconsistent with reality.