KABUL: U.S. officials were concerned that an alleged Israeli plan to target Iranian Foreign Minister Dr. Sayed Abbas Araghchi and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf could negatively affect ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States, according to the reports.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a report by The New York Times claiming that Israel had considered assassinating Iranian Foreign Minister Dr. Sayed Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf during indirect talks between Tehran and Washington.
In a statement published on the social media platform X, Netanyahu’s office described the report as “false and fabricated,” saying: “The latest New York Times report regarding Israel and the Iranian negotiators is fake and entirely made up.”
Earlier, The New York Times had reported that U.S. officials opposed an alleged Israeli proposal to target Araghchi and Qalibaf, out of concern that the killing of the two senior Iranian officials would undermine ongoing efforts to reach a possible agreement with Iran and end the conflict.
The report suggested that Washington feared such an action could derail diplomatic negotiations aimed at reducing tensions and achieving a broader settlement.