The United States discreetly instructed Middle Eastern intermediaries to warn Iran that Israel could be planning assassinations of key Iranian negotiators amid fragile ceasefire negotiations, according to recent reports. Concerns centered on potential Israeli attacks against Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, which Washington feared would derail ongoing diplomatic efforts and reignite conflict.
U.S. intelligence indicated that at least Ghalibaf was on an Israeli target list. Officials urged Israel to hold back while negotiations progressed, understanding that these figures might have been considered military targets at the height of regional hostilities. However, as talks intensified, especially in April, Washington concluded that any assassination attempt would likely collapse the peace process.
Iranian authorities reportedly sought explicit guarantees through Pakistani and Qatari channels that Israeli forces would not strike their delegation during meetings. Notably, an incident occurred when Ghalibaf’s aircraft faced an alleged Israeli threat returning from Islamabad, forcing an emergency landing before the delegation completed their journey by road.
Despite the looming threats, Araghchi and Ghalibaf continued their diplomatic meetings in Qatar and Switzerland, engaging directly with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and other American officials. U.S. representatives confirmed that talks remained active and emphasized President Donald Trump’s desire for the peace process to continue uninterrupted. The Israeli Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the matter.