Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed that Israel attempted to kill him during the 12-day conflict between the two countries last month. He made this statement during an interview aired on Monday with American host Tucker Carlson.
“They did try, yes. They acted accordingly, but they failed,” Pezeshkian said when asked if Israel tried to assassinate him.
He added, “It was not the United States that was behind the attempt on my life. It was Israel. I was in a meeting… they tried to bombard the area in which we were holding that meeting,” referring to what appeared to be a strike during the conflict.
War Disrupted Nuclear Talks
The recent war caused major setbacks in efforts to resume Iran-US nuclear negotiations. Israeli airstrikes on June 13 killed several senior Iranian military officers and nuclear scientists. These attacks came just two days before a scheduled diplomatic meeting between Tehran and Washington.
The Israeli operation paused ongoing efforts to reach a fresh agreement over Iran’s nuclear program.
Conflict Left Hundreds Dead
According to Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, at least 1,060 Iranians lost their lives during the 12-day war. In response, Iran launched missile and drone attacks, which killed 28 people in Israel, as reported by Israeli authorities.
Ceasefire in Effect, Tensions Remain
The fighting ended with a ceasefire on June 24, but tensions remain high. On June 16, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to rule out the possibility of targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He said such an act would “end the conflict.” Media reports suggested that US President Donald Trump had previously vetoed this plan.
Iran also said that it had foiled an Israeli plan to assassinate its Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during the war.
Pezeshkian Warns Against “Forever Wars”
In the interview, Pezeshkian strongly criticized Netanyahu. He said, “The US administration should refrain from getting involved in a war that is not America’s war, it is Netanyahu’s war.”
He accused the Israeli leader of pushing the region into “forever wars” for his own agenda.
Iran Open to Resuming Nuclear Talks
Pezeshkian also said that Iran is willing to return to nuclear negotiations—but only if trust with the US can be restored. “We see no problem in re-entering the negotiations,” he said.
He emphasized, “There is a condition … for restarting the talks. How are we going to trust the United States again?”
He also asked, “How can we know for sure that in the middle of the talks the Israeli regime will not be given the permission again to attack us?”
Welcoming US Investment—If Sanctions End
If sanctions on Iran are lifted, Pezeshkian said the country is open to American investment. He declared, “There is no limitation and nothing preventing the US investors to come to Iran and to make investments in Iran.”
Peace or War: A Choice for the US
The Iranian president warned that the United States faces two clear paths in its approach toward the Middle East: peace or war.
He said, “US President Mr. Trump is capable enough to guide the region towards peace and a brighter future and put Israel in its place or get into an endless pit or swamp and that is a war that Netanyahu wants the US or its president to be dragged into.”