US warned Iran of Israeli plans to assassinate Iranian negotiators, report says

Senior US officials warned Iran through intermediaries this spring that Israel was seeking to assassinate some of Tehran’s top political figures, according to a Washington Post report published on Thursday and cited by Iran International. The report named Foreign Minister Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf among those named in the warnings. It cited current and former US officials as its sources.

The warnings came while the Trump administration was pursuing negotiations to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the report said. Iran International’s account describes the talks as the context in which the warnings were passed along.

The Washington Post report also said Washington had urged Israeli officials not to target Iran’s political leadership. According to the report, US officials feared such killings would derail diplomacy and eliminate officials whom the United States regarded as key interlocutors. The report did not say whether the Israeli government or military responded to these US requests.

Iran International’s summary does not give casualty figures, dates of specific incidents, or any confirmed attempt on the named officials. Its account relies on the Washington Post’s reporting and the unnamed US officials it cited. Restraint in pursuit of peace, as in Matthew 5:9, is the point this episode raises most directly. Washington had also urged Israeli officials not to target Iran’s political leadership, fearing such killings would derail diplomacy and eliminate officials viewed by the United States as key interlocutors.

Source: Read the original report