Israel removes Iranian foreign minister, speaker from target list after Pakistan intervention

Israel has reportedly removed Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf from its target list following intervention by Pakistan, according to reports citing a Pakistani source familiar with the discussions.

The source indicated that Israeli forces had identified and tracked the two senior Iranian leaders and were considering targeting them. However, Pakistan conveyed to Washington that eliminating key political figures would effectively shut down any possibility of negotiations. The message was then relayed to Israel, which subsequently stepped back.

“The Israelis had their coordinates and wanted to take them out,” the source said, adding that Pakistan warned there would be “no one else to talk to” if such figures were eliminated.

The decision is believed to be temporary, with reports suggesting that the two officials were removed from the list for a limited period of around four to five days to allow space for potential diplomatic engagement.

Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary in the ongoing conflict, maintaining active communication with both Washington and Tehran at a time when most diplomatic channels remain frozen. Alongside countries like Turkey and Egypt, Islamabad has been attempting to facilitate backchannel talks to de-escalate tensions.

The development comes as the United States has reportedly shared a 15-point proposal with Iran through Pakistan, outlining conditions for ending the conflict. These include curbs on uranium enrichment, limits on missile programmes, and restrictions on Tehran’s regional activities, according to sources cited in reports.

Despite these efforts, Iran has publicly maintained that it is not engaged in direct negotiations, though it is reviewing the proposal. Tehran has consistently expressed distrust toward US intentions, while continuing its military posture in the region.