How the US Shielded Iranian Negotiators from Israeli Assassination Plots

The United States intervened after learning that Ghalibaf and Araghchi were high-priority targets on an Israeli hit list. Washington feared that eliminating the two officials—who were instrumental in mediating a potential framework for opening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing nuclear concerns—would trigger a broader regional escalation. This intervention marked a significant divergence in strategy, as Israel remained committed to regime change and the systematic removal of Iranian leadership, a campaign that had already claimed over 50 senior figures.

During a mission to Islamabad to meet US Vice President JD Vance, the tension reached a boiling point. Despite security guarantees brokered by Pakistani and Qatari intermediaries, the Iranian delegation faced a credible threat during their return flight. An Israeli security alert forced their plane to make an emergency landing in Mashhad, requiring the officials to complete their journey to Tehran by land. Lawmaker Mohsen Zanganeh later described the mission as a high-stakes gamble, noting that the negotiators operated under constant risk to maintain the viability of the truce.

The friction underscores a deeper rift in objectives. While the American administration sought a cooling of hostilities to stabilize the Gulf, Israeli officials viewed the ceasefire as a strategic failure. They argued that any peace deal would provide Iran the economic resources to rebuild its missile programs and solidify the influence of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, ultimately leaving the core challenges of the conflict unresolved.