‘Fake news’: PMO denies NYT report US worried Israel would kill Iran’s negotiators

3 July 2026, 6:16 pm

2 Edit

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left, and Speaker of the Islamic Parliament of Iran, Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, 2nd from left, with the Delegation of Iran at the Lake Lucerne Summit at the Buergenstock resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne, Switzerland, June 21, 2026. (Urs Flueeler, Pool Photo via AP)

The Prime Minister’s Office says that “as usual, The New York Times’ latest story about Israel and the Iranian negotiators is fake news. A complete fabrication of reality.”

The US daily reported yesterday that American officials indirectly warned Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf during negotiations earlier this year that Israel might try to assassinate them.

The report, which cited current and former US officials, alleged that some officials believed Israel may have been planning to kill the top Iranian negotiators in the weeks following the April 8 ceasefire that halted fighting in the US-Israel war with Iran.

In light of those concerns, the US officials asked officials in other countries across the region to warn Tehran that Israel may try to target the two men, the Times said.