American officials grew deeply concerned that Israel was planning to assassinate key Iranian diplomats during sensitive peace negotiations, according to reports detailing behind-the-scenes worries in Washington.
The concern centered on two prominent Iranian figures: Abbas Araghchi and Mohammad Ghalibaf. U.S. officials believed that if either man were killed, the fragile diplomatic process would collapse entirely, making any path forward impossible.
The fear reflects the extreme tensions surrounding efforts to de-escalate regional conflict. Both men held critical roles in the Iranian delegation, making them valuable targets from the perspective of those seeking to sabotage negotiations before they could produce results.
American officials did not publicly detail the specific intelligence that prompted their alarm, but the concern was serious enough to factor into diplomatic calculations. The worry highlighted how precarious these talks had become and how vulnerable they were to violent disruption.
The revelation underscores the dangerous dynamics at play when high-stakes negotiations involve parties that view military action as a legitimate policy tool. With trust already fragile between adversaries, the elimination of key negotiators could instantly transform dialogue into open conflict.
Whether Israel actually harbored such intentions remains unclear from available statements. But U.S. officials apparently took the threat seriously enough to factor the risk into their strategic planning and diplomatic messaging during this critical period.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "The fact that American diplomats were hedging against assassination plots tells you everything about the desperation and danger embedded in these negotiations."
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