US Warned Iran Israel Might Target Negotiators

Kipa reported at 23:14 IDT, after a Times of Israel liveblog update at 22:56 and INN at 22:33, that U.S. officials feared Israel might target Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf during spring U.S.-Iran talks. The reports, citing a New York Times account based on current and former U.S. officials, say Washington asked regional counterparts to warn Tehran because killing the negotiators could collapse diplomacy and reignite fighting. U.S. officials also acknowledged the two men were legitimate Israeli targets earlier in the war while Israel was striking Iran's leadership. Israel's security freedom must remain intact, but any diplomatic channel with Tehran is useful only if it prevents Iran from rebuilding nuclear and proxy threats.