Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has revealed that Israel attempted to assassinate him during the recent 12-day conflict between the two countries — a claim made during a high-profile interview with U.S. journalist Tucker Carlson on Monday.
“Yes, they tried,” Pezeshkian said when asked whether Israel had targeted his life. “They acted accordingly, but they failed.”
The Iranian leader said he was in a meeting when Israeli forces carried out what he described as a targeted strike, attempting to bomb the location where the meeting was taking place.
“It was not the United States that was behind the attempt on my life. It was Israel,” he added. “They tried to bombard the area in which we were holding that meeting.”
Background of the Conflict
The Israel-Iran war erupted on June 13, when Israel launched a surprise aerial assault that killed multiple high-ranking Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists. The strikes came just days before Iran was set to resume nuclear negotiations with the United States.
Iran responded with a barrage of drone and missile attacks that left 28 people dead in Israel. Meanwhile, Iran’s judiciary reported over 900 Iranian fatalities during the conflict.
The U.S. also became involved, launching surprise airstrikes targeting nuclear facilities in Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz.
Nuclear Talks and Conditions for Return
Despite the intense fighting, Pezeshkian expressed openness to restarting nuclear negotiations — but only if trust with the U.S. can be rebuilt.
“We see no problem in re-entering the negotiations,” he said. “But there is one condition — how can we trust the United States again? What guarantees do we have that Israel won’t be given the green light to attack us in the middle of talks?”
The war marked one of the most volatile chapters in the already fragile relationship between Israel, Iran, and the U.S., further complicating efforts to revive the stalled nuclear deal.
