Voice of Urdu - وائس آف اردو

US Warned Iran of Alleged Israeli Assassination Plot

Editorial Team

The United States warned Tehran about what it believed were Israeli plans to assassinate Iran’s chief negotiators — Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi — amid ongoing US-Iran talks aimed at reaching a settlement, according to a New York Times report citing American officials.

The reported warning underscores how fragile the current diplomatic track remains, and how any targeted killing of senior officials could disrupt negotiations and deepen regional instability — especially as tensions persist around the Strait of Hormuz and amid renewed threats involving Iran’s senior leadership. For related regional context, see Iran’s Plan to Strike Back Against the U.S..

Key developments

The New York Times reported Thursday that US officials were concerned Israel could kill Ghalibaf and Araghchi to undermine negotiations and “doom” chances of a settlement.
According to the report, Washington asked regional allies to pass a warning to Tehran about the alleged plot.
The paper said Ghalibaf and Araghchi took over Iran’s negotiating effort after Israel had already killed Ali Larijani, described as Tehran’s top national security adviser, and former Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, who were both involved in talks with the Americans.
The report also said late-February US-Israeli strikes on Iran killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking officials.
Ghalibaf and Araghchi reached a temporary truce with the US in April and later agreed to a memorandum of understanding on June 17 that opened a 60-day period to negotiate a final settlement, the report said.
Despite the talks, the sides exchanged fire last week over disagreements linked to the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report.

Context and background

The New York Times report described a widening gap between US and Israeli objectives following the late-February strikes, saying the goals of the two countries “quickly diverged radically,” with Washington seeking an agreement and Israel pushing for continued fighting. For additional reporting on the Israel-Lebanon front referenced in the wider regional picture, see Israel Defies Ceasefire Agreement, Refuses Full Withdrawal from Lebanon.

The newspaper’s account places the alleged assassination concerns within a broader escalation that includes killings of senior Iranian figures referenced in the report and an intensifying war of statements involving threats against senior officials.

Details and evidence

According to the report, the June 17 memorandum of understanding initiated a 60-day negotiating window to work toward a final settlement. Talks have continued even after last week’s exchange of fire, which the report linked to disagreements involving the Strait of Hormuz.

The report also referenced comments by US President Donald Trump in a June phone interview with Fox News, in which he said he had threatened Ghalibaf and Araghchi after Tehran warned it would shut the Strait of Hormuz if Israel continued its military operation in Lebanon. The source material provided an incomplete excerpt of Trump’s quoted remark.

Separately, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz was quoted as saying Monday that Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is “marked for death.” Araghchi, according to the report, responded that Tehran would deliver an immediate and powerful response to any threat against its people or leadership.

Current status and next steps

Negotiations are continuing within the 60-day period that began after the June 17 memorandum of understanding, according to the report.

Funeral processions for Ali Khamenei are scheduled to take place in Iran from Saturday through Thursday. The report said Tehran warned that any US or Israeli strikes during that period would be a major “miscalculation.”