Key facts
- The United States warned Tehran of a potential Israeli plot to assassinate Iranian negotiators.
- Washington fears an assassination could derail diplomacy and reignite fighting.
- Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf's flight was diverted due to suspected Israeli jets near Iranian airspace.
- Iran's UN Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani stated U.S. bases in the Gulf cause insecurity.
- Iravani accused the U.S. of hypocrisy and ignoring root causes of regional crises.
- Iran's deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi marked July 3rd as a reminder of a U.S. "crime".
- The U.S. killed 290 people, including 66 children, aboard Iran Air Flight 655 in 1988.
- Gharibabadi criticized the U.S. for denying responsibility and failing to apologize.
The United States has issued a warning to Tehran, alerting Iran that Israel may be plotting to assassinate senior Iranian officials engaged in peace negotiations. This U.S. intervention stems from fears that an Israeli assassination attempt could derail ongoing diplomatic efforts and potentially reignite conflict in the region. The alert comes amid heightened regional tensions and follows an incident where Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf's flight was reportedly diverted due to suspected Israeli jets operating near Iranian airspace.
In parallel, Iran's UN Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani has voiced strong criticism regarding the presence of U.S. military bases in Gulf states. Iravani asserted that these bases have generated "nothing but insecurity" and instability, accusing the U.S. of hypocrisy and of neglecting the fundamental causes of regional crises. He emphasized that the responsibility for regional security rests with the neighboring countries themselves.
Furthermore, Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, used July 3rd to draw attention to what he termed a "crime" committed by the U.S. in 1988. On that date, the U.S. military shot down Iran Air Flight 655, resulting in the deaths of 290 people, including 66 children. Gharibabadi criticized the U.S. for its continued denial of responsibility and its failure to offer an apology for the incident.