The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Israel removed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf from its hit list after Pakistan urged Washington to press Israel not to target them, a Pakistani source familiar with the discussions told Reuters on Thursday.
"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 said.
Pakistan’s military and foreign office did not immediately
respond to requests for comment. Israel’s military declined to comment, and
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond to a
request for comment.
The Wall Street Journal earlier reported that the two top
Iranian officials had been temporarily removed from Israel’s list of officials
to eliminate as potential peace talks were explored. The two officials were
removed from the list for up to four or five days, the Journal said, citing
U.S. officials, but did not mention any Pakistani role.
Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey are mediating between Tehran and
Washington to end the Iran war. Islamabad has maintained direct contact with
both Washington and Tehran at a time when most other countries’ channels are
frozen. Islamabad is also considered a likely venue if peace talks take place.
Iran is reviewing a 15-point proposal from U.S. President Donald
Trump, sent through Pakistan, to end the war. The proposal calls for removing
Iran’s stocks of highly enriched uranium, halting enrichment, curbing its
ballistic missile program, and cutting funding for regional allies, according
to Israeli cabinet sources familiar with the plan.
Trump said Iran is desperate to make a deal, while Araqchi
said Tehran is reviewing the U.S. proposal but has no intention of holding talks
to wind down the conflict.
Israeli officials have repeatedly stated that no senior
Iranian official is immune from being targeted. Last week, Israel’s Defense
Minister Israel Katz said that he and Netanyahu had authorized the military to
target officials without prior approval.
Asked whether Araqchi and Qalibaf had been removed from an
Israeli hit list following a request from Pakistan, Israeli military spokesman Nadav
Shoshani said the military “has a rigorous process before every operation and
every strike,” but added, “I’m not going to go into specific potential
targets.”
