US blocked Israel's assassination attempt on Iranian officials to save diplomatic talks

The administration of US President Donald Trump took a series of secret diplomatic and security steps to prevent potential assassination attempts against Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bakır Kalibafi and Foreign Minister Abbas Irakçi, aiming to prevent the collapse of indirect nuclear negotiation processes between Washington and Tehran and the resumption of war. According to a report by the New York Times, the US administration assessed during the serious round of talks that began in April that if any Iranian official at the negotiation table was targeted, the chance of a possible deal would completely disappear. Within this scope, the US urged its ally Israel through official and unofficial channels not to target Kalibafi and asked them to freeze operations, while also trying to provide security guarantees by conveying its concerns about targeting high-level negotiators to the Tehran administration through some countries in the region.

It was determined that Israeli intelligence units had previously placed Kalibafi and Irakçi on their target list and planned activities, but these plans were suspended with the start of diplomatic talks. In response, Iran raised its security protocols to the highest level to protect its delegation and demanded guarantees through Pakistan and Qatar that no Israeli operation would be carried out against delegation members. Security measures for Iranian officials were not limited to diplomatic notes; information was obtained that during the Iranian delegation's travels to Islamabad, fighter jets belonging to the Pakistan Air Force escorted the planes during their transit through Pakistani airspace, and airspace control was tightened.

Throughout the negotiation process, it was known that the US administration remained concerned and that Kalibafi had previously narrowly survived similar assassination attempts, a situation that caused the Iranian side to take extra precautions. Iranian officials applied extraordinary security measures during their travels and stays in representative countries such as Pakistan, Katar, and Switzerland where the talks took place. This secret diplomatic traffic revealed how far the US went to temporarily limit Israel's operational capabilities and how much priority the agreement with Iran held for Washington.

According to the report, despite Israel's staunch opposition, the Trump administration focused on minimizing the risk of a direct clash between Israel and Iran to keep the diplomatic channel alive. The inclusion of names on Israel's target list in the talks required Washington to exert pressure on Tel Aviv to secure operational delays. This process serves as a striking example of how intelligence wars in the Middle East shape within the search for diplomatic solutions, while also demonstrating Iran's insistence on deterrence and security.

The protection of figures like Kalibafi and Irakçi was realized not only due to Iran's request but also as a result of concrete steps taken by the US to secure the deal. The fact that Pakistan acted as a second shield with military aircraft showed the degree of Tehran's security concerns, while the US's attempt to curb Israel by involving its regional allies clearly revealed the era's foreign policy dynamics and risk management.