US Warned Against Israel Killing Iran Negotiators During Talks: Report
Washington reportedly warned Tehran through intermediaries that killing senior Iranian officials could derail negotiations to end the war.
The administration of US President Donald Trump reportedly opposed Israeli plans to assassinate two of Iran's senior political leaders during diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-Israel conflict, according to a report by The Washington Post.
Citing current and former US officials, the report said Washington feared Israel was planning to target Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf while negotiations were underway.
According to the report, the US took the unusual step of using regional intermediaries to warn Tehran that Israel might attempt to assassinate the two senior officials. One US official was quoted as saying, "You kill those folks, and you're killing the pragmatists," highlighting concerns that such strikes would destroy the diplomatic process.
The report added that when the Trump administration began exploring diplomatic options in March to end the conflict, senior US officials urged Israeli counterparts to avoid targeting Iran's political leadership.
US concerns reportedly intensified after ceasefire negotiations began in April, with Washington fearing that any attack on Araghchi or Ghalibaf would derail the talks and reignite the conflict.
According to the report, eliminating senior Iranian figures had been part of Israel's broader wartime strategy. However, US officials believed that once negotiations were underway, targeting key Iranian negotiators would undermine efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire.