Officials believed Israel was plotting to kill Iranian negotiators

U.S. officials believed Israel could have been plotting to kill Iran’s top negotiators while Washington pursued delicate talks this spring aimed at an interim peace deal. According to current and former U.S. officials, concerns intensified in April during ceasefire negotiations targeting Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of parliament. Some officials said the United States even asked other regional countries to warn Iran about the possibility of an Israeli effort against the two officials, fearing it would end talks and restart fighting. The war began Feb. 28 with an Israeli strike that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other leaders, reflecting Israel’s early focus on regime leadership. The reporting highlights how U.S. and Israeli war aims diverged as Israel remained skeptical of April’s ceasefire.