Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf have reportedly been removed temporarily from Israel’s assassination target list, following pressure from international mediators and amid signals from the United States for high-level negotiations with Tehran. The removal comes amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East and concerns over escalating conflict.

According to media reports, both Araghchi and Ghalibaf—key Iranian negotiators—were on Israel’s hit list when mediators from Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt warned Washington that their elimination could derail any potential diplomatic resolution. “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,” a Pakistani source told Reuters.

The reprieve, however, is temporary. Reports in the Wall Street Journal indicate that the two officials are off the list for four to five days as the US opens the door to possible talks. Mediators are urging negotiators from Washington and Tehran to meet in the coming days to discuss a potential pause in hostilities, though officials warn that gaps between US and Iranian demands remain significant.

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President Donald Trump has publicly stated that Iran is eager to reach a deal, while Tehran has rejected proposals from the US, calling a 15-point peace plan “one-sided and unfair.” The White House has warned that failure to engage in negotiations could prompt a more forceful response, stating that Iran could be “hit harder than they have ever been hit before” if it does not agree to end the conflict soon.

Since the onset of the war, US and Israeli strikes have targeted senior Iranian figures, including commanders from the Revolutionary Guards. Despite these losses, Iran’s leadership structure has remained operational, with top strategists continuing to coordinate military and political responses. Previous assassination targets included former Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and security chief Ali Larijani, as Israel pursued a decapitation strategy similar to its operations against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the US military has primarily focused on Iranian military facilities and missile capabilities rather than individual leaders. The temporary removal of Araghchi and Ghalibaf from Israel’s target list reflects the delicate balance between military action and diplomatic engagement as international actors seek to prevent further escalation.

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