New Delhi: Following months of military confrontation with Iran, the US shifted its focus towards securing a diplomatic settlement through a ceasefire and nuclear negotiations. However, Washington reportedly became increasingly concerned that Israel’s military objectives could jeopardize the fragile peace process.
The New York Times reported that the US government officials believed that Israel may have been planning to assassinate two high-level representatives representing Iran in their negotiations – the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, and the speaker of the country’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
As per the report, diplomats Araghchi and Ghalibaf are two key players from Iran, leading negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. According to the NYT report, US officials feared that if Israel attempted to assassinate either of the two negotiators during the course of these talks, it would effectively terminate the diplomatic negotiations between the US and Iran before an agreement could be reached.
The clearest alleged incident occurred on April 12, when Ghalibaf was returning to Tehran from Islamabad after meeting the vice president of the US. While returning, Iranian security forces were told that two Israeli fighter aircraft had entered Iranian airspace with the intent of targeting their aircraft. Following this, Ghalibaf’s plane deviated from its intended flight plan and made an emergency landing in Mashhad, whereupon Ghalibaf and his delegation then proceeded to Tehran via automobile, during an eight-hour journey.
There has been a growing divide between the US and Israel regarding their strategies towards Iran since the beginning of the armed conflict. Originally, both countries had the common goal of weakening Iran’s military and political leadership, however, as a result of both countries participating in ceasefire negotiations starting in April, their strategies diverged.
The US increased its push for a negotiated settlement while Israel continued to focus on maintaining military pressure and pursuing larger wartime objectives, including weakening the political and military capabilities of Iran.
Although there has been an alleged panic in connection with the recent events, negotiations have continued to take place in Doha, focusing on shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz, frozen Iranian assets, and further de-escalation.
Neither Iran or Israel government has released any information regarding the nature of the claimed threats, and the account relies heavily on unnamed sources.