The New York Times reports that U.S. officials were concerned that Israel might target senior Iranian leaders, including Mohammad‑Baqer Qalibaf, the head of the Iranian Parliament, and Abbas Arashchi, Iran’s foreign minister. To prevent such a scenario, Washington allegedly urged regional partners to warn Iran of potential Israeli action against the two officials.
U.S. officials said that a possible assassination of Arashchi or Qalibaf could derail the talks and trigger a new large‑scale conflict similar to the 40‑day war.
Iranian officials claimed that during the Iranian delegation’s trip to the Islamabad talks, two Israeli jets entered Iranian airspace from Iraq despite Pakistani fighter escorts. The Iranian delegation reportedly abandoned the journey, landing in Mashhad and then traveling by land to Tehran.
The incident highlights tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States amid ongoing diplomatic negotiations.