Israel has denied reports that it planned to assassinate Iranian officials Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Abbas Araghchi during peace talks. The Prime Minister’s Office in Tel Aviv issued a statement on Friday rejecting the allegations as completely baseless and false. It described reports published by The New York Times as fake news and a total distortion of reality.

According to The New York Times, citing current and former U.S. officials, American intelligence believed Israel had considered targeting Iranian negotiators earlier this year during efforts to ease tensions between the United States and Iran. Other U.S. media outlets reported that Israel’s wartime strategy included targeting Iran’s top political and military leadership, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and former National Security Council head Ali Larijani.

The Wall Street Journal reported in March that Ghalibaf and Araghchi were on Israel’s potential target list but were temporarily removed after U.S. requests when ceasefire talks resumed. Al Jazeera and The New York Times also reported that Ghalibaf narrowly survived attacks during conflicts in 2025 and this year.