Israel denies assassination accusations: ‘Fake news’: Israel denies reports of plans to assassinate Iranian negotiator
Israel on Friday denied reports that it planned to assassinate Iran’s top negotiator during diplomatic efforts to end the conflict with Iran, calling the claims “fake news” and a “total fabrication of reality.”“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office posted onU.S. newspapers have reported that U.S. officials are privately concerned that Israel could target Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Knesset Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf during negotiations held earlier this year.The report said U.S. officials issued indirect warnings to the two Iranian leaders through regional intermediaries, fearing that any assassination attempt would undermine diplomacy.
U.S. concerns about negotiations
According to earlier reports, U.S. officials believe Israel may be trying to assassinate two senior Iranian officials as Washington seeks a diplomatic solution to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.The Washington Post quoted an American official anonymously as saying: “When you kill those people, you kill the pragmatists.”Washington reportedly urged Israeli officials back in March not to target Iran’s political leadership while negotiations were ongoing. The Washington Post quoted a White House official as saying: “The president hopes that the peace process will proceed smoothly.”U.S. officials believe such an attack could cause negotiations to collapse and reignite fighting between the two sides.
Netanyahu, Trump agree to meet
Separately, Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to meet in the United States in the near future during a phone call on Friday, according to a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.Netanyahu congratulated Trump on the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the statement said, adding, “The United States is the guarantor of freedom in the world, and Israel greatly appreciates the close ties between our two countries.”The prime minister’s office said the two leaders had agreed to meet in the United States soon but did not announce a date or location.Meanwhile, Qatar and Pakistan concluded separate meetings with US and Iranian negotiators in Doha on July 1, with officials reporting “positive progress” on issues related to the 14-point memorandum of understanding.A spokesman for Qatar’s foreign ministry said the two sides agreed to continue discussions, with the next round expected to take place after the funeral of Iran’s former supreme leader.
