The US feared Israel might strike Ghalibaf and Araghchi during peace negotiations, CNN: Iran was warned through intermediaries

Two US officials told CNN that the United States tried to make Iran aware of concerns that Israel might target and kill Iranian mediators during talks held this spring.

According to them, there were fears in Washington that Israel might target Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, who has led the negotiations with the US, as well as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who has also been one of the public faces of these talks. These warnings, the officials said, were sent through intermediaries.

The first report on these warnings was published by The New York Times.

However, there were no signs that US intelligence had data on any specific plot that would justify these warnings. On the other hand, senior Israeli defense officials have spoken publicly about the possibility of eliminating top Iranian leaders, while US President Donald Trump had earlier acknowledged that these developments make the negotiation process more complicated.

In March, Trump had refused to provide details about the Iranian side with whom talks were being held, saying, “I don’t want them to be killed.”

“I know, it’s a little difficult,” he said. “They’ve all been wiped out,” Trump added.

After The New York Times report, the office of the Israeli prime minister dismissed the story, writing on X: “As usual, the latest New York Times article on Israel and the Iranian negotiators is fake news. A complete fabrication of reality.”

A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in Washington declined to comment, while CNN also sought a response from the White House.