Did US warn Iran of Israeli’s plan to assassinate Ghalibaf, Araghchi?
A US warning to Iran about a potential Israeli assassination plot against officials Abbas Araghchi and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf reportedly occurred in April, according to The New York Times
A New York Times report reveals that significant tensions existed between the United States and Israel long before recent public disagreements, with a secret warning issued in April informing Tehran that Israel was potentially targeting key Iranian negotiators, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, whom Israel allegedly viewed as legitimate targets in relation to nuclear talks and a series of assassinations within Iran
A New York Times report reveals that significant tensions existed between the United States and Israel long before recent public disagreements, with a secret warning issued in April informing Tehran that Israel was potentially targeting key Iranian negotiators, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, whom Israel allegedly viewed as legitimate targets in relation to nuclear talks and a series of assassinations within Iran
A New York Times report reveals that significant tensions existed between the United States and Israel long before recent public disagreements, with a secret warning issued in April informing Tehran that Israel was potentially targeting key Iranian negotiators, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, whom Israel allegedly viewed as legitimate targets in relation to nuclear talks and a series of assassinations within Iran
Tensions between the United State and Israel were fraying long before recent public disputes, a report from The New York Times said, citing a secret warning in April about Israel targeting key Iranian negotiators.
The article has revealed a deep crack in the relationship between the two countries, suggesting that serious disagreements began long before recent reports of fiery phone calls between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Citing several US officials, the report said that in April, Washington passed a direct warning to Tehran informing that two of Iran’s top officials—Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf—were potential targets for assassination by Israel. The officials quoted said they believed Israel was planning to carry out these assassinations in the weeks following an April 8 ceasefire.
At the time, Washington was concerned that Israel viewed Araghchi and Ghalibaf as "legitimate targets" because they were selected by Iran to lead nuclear talks with the US. The concerns arose amid a series of assassinations inside Iran allegedly orchestrated by Israel.
The NYT report cited a specific incident involving Speaker Ghalibaf. US officials reportedly believed Israel was preparing to strike his plane on April 12 as he travelled back to Tehran from Islamabad. American authorities alerted their Iranian counterparts that two Israeli fighter jets had allegedly crossed into Iranian airspace from Iraq with the intent to target Ghalibaf’s aircraft.
Acting on this intelligence, Tehran contacted the plane, which then diverted from its scheduled route. The report added that Ghalibaf’s flight made an emergency landing in the northern city of Mashhad instead of continuing on its usual course to the capital.
The alleged secret warning is being seen as an indicator of the rift between the US and Israel, and is being viewed as a precursor to the different approaches the two allies have taken concerning the recent US-Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU). The US has actively pursued the agreement and related peace talks without Israel's involvement and despite Netanyahu’s public efforts to undermine it.
More recently, Trump and Netanyahu have clashed over the ongoing conflict in southern Lebanon. President Trump publicly urged Netanyahu to be "more responsible" and issued a stark warning that "too many people have been killed", yet the Israeli military campaign has continued.
Behind the scenes, the relationship has been even more strained. Leaked details from phone conversations, cited in multiple reports, claim that Trump at one point grew so frustrated that he used a harsh expletive and called Netanyahu "crazy".