US warned Iran over alleged Israeli plot to kill negotiators – NYT

US warned Iran over alleged Israeli plot to kill negotiators – NYT

The United States reportedly warned Iran of an alleged Israeli plan to assassinate two of its top officials during Pakistan-mediated negotiations, The New York Times reported on Friday.

According to the newspaper, which cited current and former U.S. officials, the alleged plot targeted Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, and the Speaker of Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

The report said officials in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump feared the alleged operation could derail diplomatic efforts and trigger a fresh military confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

It added that the U.S. quietly conveyed its concerns to Iranian authorities through regional intermediaries in an effort to prevent further escalation.

The newspaper also reported that Ghalibaf’s aircraft was forced to make an emergency diversion after Iranian intelligence allegedly received information suggesting Israeli fighter jets were preparing to target the plane.

However, the report noted that no public evidence has been released to substantiate the alleged assassination plot.

Israeli authorities have denied the allegations, describing the report as false and rejecting claims that they planned to target the Iranian officials.

The development comes amid lingering tensions between Israel and Iran despite renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing hostilities in the region.

Neither the White House nor the Iranian government had issued an official statement on the report as of the time of filing this report.

US warned Iran over alleged Israeli plot to kill negotiators – NYT