Pakistan Intervenes to Remove Iranian Officials from Israeli Target List

A Pakistani source reveals that Pakistan successfully lobbied the United States to have Israel remove Iran's Foreign Minister and Parliamentary Speaker from its elimination list. The move was made to preserve diplomatic channels as peace negotiations are being explored through Pakistan's mediation.

Pakistani officials successfully persuaded the United States to convince Israel to remove two high-ranking Iranian leaders from its assassination target list, according to a knowledgeable Pakistani source who spoke with Reuters on Thursday.

The source disclosed that Israel had obtained location information for Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and was planning their elimination. However, Pakistan intervened through diplomatic channels in Washington.

“The Israelis had their coordinates and wanted to take them out, we told the U.S. if they are also eliminated then there is no one else to talk to, hence the U.S. asked the Israelis to back off,” the source explained.

Neither Pakistan’s military nor its foreign ministry provided immediate responses when contacted for official comment.

The Wall Street Journal initially broke this story, reporting that these senior Iranian officials had been temporarily struck from Israel’s elimination list as potential peace discussions are being considered. According to the Journal’s sources within the U.S. government, the removal period spans four to five days, though their reporting did not reference Pakistan’s involvement.

Currently, Pakistan is serving as a key mediator alongside Egypt and Turkey, working to facilitate dialogue between Tehran and Washington to bring an end to the ongoing Iran conflict.

Pakistan has maintained open communication lines with both the United States and Iran during a period when most other nations have severed such diplomatic channels. The country is also being considered as a potential location for peace negotiations should they materialize.

Iranian leadership is currently examining a comprehensive 15-point peace proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump, which was delivered through Pakistani diplomatic channels. According to Israeli cabinet sources familiar with the plan, the proposal demands that Iran eliminate its highly enriched uranium stockpiles, cease uranium enrichment activities, restrict its ballistic missile development, and discontinue financial support to regional proxy groups.

While Trump has publicly stated that Iran is eager to negotiate an agreement, Foreign Minister Araqchi has indicated that Tehran is studying the American proposal but currently has no plans to engage in talks aimed at de-escalating the conflict.