US Officials Alert Iran Over Possible Israeli Assassination Plot
WHO:
CNN - US officials, Iran, Israel, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf (Iranian parliamentary speaker), Abbas Araghchi (Iranian Foreign Minister), President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
NY Post - US officials, Iran's head negotiators (Abbas Araghchi, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf)
WHAT:
CNN - The US believed Israel was plotting to kill Iran's head negotiators, Abbas Araghchi and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, during peace talks.
CNN - The US communicated warnings to Iran through third-party countries regarding the risks to the negotiators.
CNN - Trump and Netanyahu have had intense disagreements on the war with Iran, with Netanyahu frustrated by ongoing negotiations.
CNN - In a heated exchange in June, Trump used expletives to express disapproval of a planned military operation in Lebanon by Israel.
CNN - The Trump administration appears to have backed away from supporting a strategy of targeting Iranian leaders in favor of negotiations.
CNN - The US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding that leaves the fate of Iran’s nuclear stockpile for later talks.
CNN - US officials attempted to warn Iran of fears that Israel would assassinate mediators during talks.
CNN - The US warned Iran through intermediaries about the potential assassination of Ghalibaf or Araghchi.
CNN - The US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding calling for a 60-day ceasefire.
CNN - Iran has fired on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and the US has retaliated with strikes on Iranian targets.
WHERE:
CNN - The warnings were communicated through intermediaries, though specific locations were not mentioned.
WHEN:
CNN - The warnings were communicated during talks in the spring.
CNN - The memorandum of understanding calls for a 60-day ceasefire.
WHY:
CNN - The US feared that Israel might assassinate key Iranian negotiators, which could jeopardize ongoing negotiations.
CNN - President Trump has expressed concerns that Israeli efforts to kill Iranian leaders complicate negotiations.
HOW:
CNN - The US communicated warnings to Iran through intermediaries.
CNN - The Trump administration had previously supported a strategy of targeting Iranian leaders but appeared to back away in favor of negotiations.
(UPDATED July 3, 2026 21:20 UTC)
The US has expressed concerns that Israel was planning to assassinate Iran's chief negotiators, Abbas Araghchi and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, during ongoing peace talks, prompting the US to issue warnings to Iran through third-party countries. Tensions have escalated between Trump and Netanyahu, particularly over the war with Iran, with Trump reportedly using strong language to criticize Israel's military plans in Lebanon during a heated exchange last month. Meanwhile, the Trump administration seems to be shifting its approach, moving away from targeting Iranian leaders and instead focusing on negotiations, as evidenced by a new memorandum of understanding that defers discussions on Iran's nuclear stockpile.
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(UPDATED July 3, 2026 15:42 UTC)
US officials have communicated warnings to Iran about fears that Israel might attempt to assassinate key negotiators, specifically Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Abbas Araghchi, during ongoing talks. In response to these tensions, the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding that calls for a 60-day ceasefire, while Iran has recently fired on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting US retaliation against Iranian targets. President Trump has voiced concerns that Israeli actions could complicate these negotiations, leading the administration to shift its focus from targeting Iranian leaders to pursuing diplomatic solutions.