Israeli PM Office Denies New York Times Report on Planned Strikes Against Iranian Negotiators

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office strongly denied a New York Times report claiming that Israel planned to assassinate senior Iranian negotiators during sensitive talks between Washington and Tehran last spring. In an official statement released on Friday, the office labeled the report as "fake news" and a complete fabrication. The disputed article alleged that the United States feared Israeli attempts to target two top Iranian officials: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, which could have jeopardized ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations.

According to the report, which cited current and former U.S. officials, Washington was concerned that Israeli actions might derail efforts to reach a temporary peace agreement with Iran. The U.S. reportedly reached out to regional countries to warn Iran about the potential threat to these key figures. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office rejected these claims, emphasizing that the story was entirely untrue.