US Feared Israeli Plot to Kill Iran Negotiators, Issued Secret Warning to Tehran

In a truly shocking development, the United States secretly warned Iran that Israel might try to assassinate its top negotiators, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, during crucial ceasefire talks this past spring. Washington feared such a move would completely derail efforts to end the ongoing 2026 Iran War and reignite wider conflict, reportedly using regional intermediaries to relay the urgent message to Tehran. These extraordinary warnings highlight a deep and growing disagreement between the U.S. and Israel over the goals of the conflict. While the Trump administration has been pushing hard for a diplomatic settlement to the war and to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz, Israel aim reportedly remained focused on regime change in Iran. The U.S. concern was made even sharper by the fact that other Iranian officials involved in earlier talks had already been killed in Israeli airstrikes. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in June 2026, intended to reduce fighting and pave the way for a broader agreement. Now, with U.S. and Iranian negotiators continuing talks in places like Doha, this revelation casts a long shadow over the fragile peace efforts. Israel has denied the reports, calling them 'fake news.' However, the warnings underscore the complex and dangerous dance of diplomacy in the Middle East, where even allies like the U.S. and Israel can have vastly different ideas on how to achieve peace, and the potential for a return to intense hostilities remains very real.