U.S. Officials Reportedly Believed Israel Could Try To Assassinate Iranian Negotiators. They Took Action

U.S. officials believed Israel could try to assassinate Iran’s top negotiators after the ceasefire between the countries was declared in April, according to a new report.

The New York Times noted that officials indirectly warned Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf about potential threats. They had been targeted during the war, but Washington asked Israel not to follow through because then there would be “no one else to talk to” about a potential ceasefire.

As a result, officials asked counterparts in the region to convey the warnings to Tehran. The report specified a concrete episode in which the U.S. identified a clear threat against Ghalibaf when he was traveling back to Islamabad after talks with Vice President JD Vance on April 12.

Back then, the plane in which the official was traveling received a warning that Israeli jets had entered Iranian airspace, leading it to make an emergency landing in northeastern Iran. Ghalibaf and the delegation then continued the trip by land.

Negotiations have since continued, and the countries signed a memorandum of understanding to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz while conducting talks about a nuclear deal.

In the meantime, the U.S. is trying to convince Iran to refrain from charging tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, according to another report.

Axios detailed that Washington argues that Tehran stands to gain more from a nuclear deal than from charging tolls for passage through the key waterway.

The outlet noted that parties face a 60-day deadline to reach a comprehensive nuclear deal, but two weeks in there are few signs of progress apart from a decision to deescalate tensions following a weekend where they exchanged strikes.

“We have reached an understanding that we will keep things quiet for the coming week, so progress on all aspects of the MOU can be worked on in a productive environment, without missiles flying,” a U.S. official told the outlet.

Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that talks in Doha were making progress. “It’s still pretty early, but talks are going well,” he added. Special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with mediators in the country to continue technical aspects of the negotiations.

Mediators also said that “positive progress was made” in the talks “regarding issues related to the memorandum of understanding.”

“Qatar & Pakistan mediators concluded separate meetings with the US & Iranian negotiators in Doha today, with positive progress made on issues related to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, building on the outcomes of the Lake Lucerne Summit,” Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Majed Al Ansari, and Pakistan’s foreign ministry, said in a joint statement.