Washington: US officials attempted to warn Iran this spring about concerns that Israel might target Iranian negotiators during ongoing talks, as reported by the New York Post on Friday, citing two US officials.

According to Anadolu Agency, the US feared that Israel could potentially target Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's parliament speaker and a key figure in the negotiations with Washington, or Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who has also been actively involved in the discussions. The warnings were reportedly conveyed through intermediaries.

As of Friday, there was no indication that US intelligence had concrete information about a specific assassination plot underlying the warnings. Nevertheless, Israel's top defense official has publicly shown support for targeting senior Iranian leaders, which adds a layer of complexity to the situation. Additionally, former President Donald Trump has commented that such actions were complicating negotiations.

In March, Trump declined to specify who the US was engaging with in Iran, citing concerns for their safety. He remarked on the challenging nature of the situation by stating, "They've wiped out everybody."

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office dismissed a related New York Times report, calling it "fake news" and "a complete fabrication of reality" on the social media platform X.