Netanyahu's office denies report Israel planned to assassinate Iranian negotiators

TEL AVIV, Israel — JERUSALEM — The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a New York Times report that Israel had planned to assassinate Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during nuclear negotiations. In a statement on X, the office said the story was "completely false" and did not reflect reality. The Times reported that U.S. officials intervened to stop the Israeli plan, warning that the killing of Ghalibaf and Araghchi could derail the indirect talks Washington was mediating. According to the report, the U.S. administration learned that Ghalibaf was on an Israeli target list and asked Tel Aviv to stand down, while regional intermediaries relayed warnings to Tehran about threats to senior officials. The Times also reported that Iran increased security measures during the talks and sought U.S. assurances against operations targeting its delegation. It said Pakistani fighter jets escorted the Iranian delegation's aircraft during a visit to Islamabad. Netanyahu's office separately denied claims that Ghalibaf had survived two assassination attempts during the war and that a meeting held in an underground bunker had been targeted. Separately, Netanyahu said in a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump that the two would meet in person in the United States in the near future. He also said Israel no longer needs American aid, stating that the country's economy can now stand on its own.