US-Israeli strikes have decimated much of the Iranian government over the past month — with President Donald Trump proclaiming that almost all leaders in the country have been killed. Tehran also sent a letter to the United Nations on Thursday following assertions that Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf were “targets for assassination”. The development came a day after Pakistani officials claimed they had pushed for Israel and the US to omit both names from a ‘hit list’.
A Pakistani source told Reuters on Thursday that Israel had removed Araqchi and Qalibaf from its list of targets after Islamabad intervened. Wall Street Journal also reported earlier this week that the Iranian officials had been ‘temporarily’ removed from an Israeli list of officials to eliminate. The publication cited US officials to add that the omission was “for up to four or five days” as they explored possible peace talks. The Journal did not mention any Pakistani role in the negotiations.
“The Israelis had their coordinates and wanted to take them out. We told the US that if they are also eliminated, then there is no one else to talk to…hence the US asked the Israelis to back off,” the Pakistani source told Reuters.
Iran writes to UN over ‘assassination’ threats
Iran sent a strongly worded letter to the United Nations on Thursday amid claims that its foreign minister and parliament speaker had been “targets for assassination”. The missive was signed by Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani and focused on media reports that Araghchi and Qalibaf had both been ‘spared’ for the time being by Israel and the US as negotiations to reach a ceasefire in the war go on. The letter called any such program “state-sponsored terrorism.”
“The reports indicate the existence of an operational framework contemplating the assassination of the highest-ranking political officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The conditional nature of the purported ‘suspension’ further underscores that the threat remains real, deliberate and ongoing,” the letter said.
Pakistan leading negotiations amid war?
Qalibaf has been considered as a possible negotiating partner to the US, while Araghchi has continued diplomatic outreach. Pakistan is leading an indirect exchange of positions between Tehran and Washington, supported by Egypt and Turkey. Islamabad has maintained direct contact with both Washington and Tehran even as communications channels remain frozen for most other countries. Islamabad is also being seen as a likely venue if peace talks are held. A CNN report also suggested on Thursday that US Vice President JD Vance could visit Pakistan by the end of this week to discuss an off-ramp.
Iran is reviewing a 15-point proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump, sent through Pakistan, to end the war. The proposal calls for removing Iran’s stocks of highly enriched uranium, halting enrichment, curbing its ballistic missile program and cutting off funding for regional allies, according to Israeli cabinet sources familiar with the plan.