Multiple reports say U.S. officials became concerned that Israel could try to assassinate senior Iranian figures during ongoing talks. According to the accounts, the U.S. privately warned Tehran—through third parties or intermediaries—about the risk that Israel might target Iran’s chief negotiators at a time when diplomacy was underway.
The individuals most frequently named as potential targets are Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker. The reporting characterizes the U.S. assessment as a fear that any assassination attempt would derail the negotiations and potentially inflame wider tensions.
One account says the U.S. urged Israel not to target Iran’s political leadership. Another adds that the warning occurred amid U.S. efforts to pursue a deal with Tehran. Several outlets also describe the matter as reflecting broader friction within the U.S.-Israel policy relationship on Iran, with the U.S. favoring negotiation while Israel is portrayed as taking a harder line.
No source in the provided material confirms that such a plot exists, only that the U.S. believed Israel might act and communicated the concern to Iran.
