US Feared Israel Would Assassinate Top Iranian Negotiators, Jeopardizing Peace Talks

According to a New York Times report published on Thursday, the United States feared that Israel planned to assassinate two senior Iranian negotiators, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, during sensitive talks between Washington and Tehran last spring aimed at reaching a temporary peace agreement. The US reportedly warned regional countries to alert Iran about the potential threat to these key figures to avoid derailing the negotiations.

The report also revealed that the war initiated on February 28 by an Israeli strike, which killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other senior officials, was partly based on American intelligence. While US retaliatory strikes targeted the Iranian navy and missile systems, Israel prioritized eliminating regime leaders early in the conflict to weaken Iran’s command structure.

The New York Times highlighted how US and Israeli war objectives diverged rapidly: the US sought a peace deal, whereas Israel remained skeptical about ending hostilities. A two-week ceasefire in April received cautious Israeli official support but raised public concern that the US was ending the war prematurely. Israeli assessments suggested the Iranian regime had not weakened but rather intensified its control, with the Revolutionary Guards consolidating power.

Araghchi and Ghalibaf led regional negotiations aimed first at a ceasefire and later a broader peace agreement with the US. In June, Washington and Tehran reached a framework agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lay groundwork for further talks on Iran’s nuclear program. Israeli analysts viewed this initial deal as a failure, arguing it did not achieve Israel’s war goals of regime change, weakening proxy forces, or significantly curbing Iran’s missile program. There were also Israeli concerns the agreement would funnel billions to Iran, enabling rapid post-war recovery without limiting nuclear ambitions.

Israel’s embassy in Washington declined to comment. A US official confirmed ongoing US-Iran talks and noted positive meetings between envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Qatar, with President Donald Trump supporting the peace process. Earlier reports indicated Israel had temporarily removed Araghchi and Ghalibaf from assassination target lists at the US’s request to facilitate negotiations. Iranian sources claimed Ghalibaf narrowly escaped death twice during recent conflicts, including an Israeli strike on a secret bunker meeting of regime leaders.