Israel took Araqchi, Qalibaf off hit list after Pakistan’s request to US

ISLAMABAD: Israel removed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf from its hit list after Pakistan urged Washington to press Israel not to target them, a Pakistani source with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters on Thursday.

“The Israelis had their coordinates and wanted to take them out, we told the US if they are also eliminated then there is no one else to talk to, hence the US 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 first reported that the two top Iranian officials had been temporarily removed from Israel’s list of officials to eliminate as they explore possible peace talks. The two officials have been removed from the list for up to four or five days, the Journal said, citing US officials, but did not mention any Pakistani role in it.

Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey are playing the role of mediator between Tehran and Washington to end the Iran war.

Islamabad has maintained direct contact with both Washington and Tehran at a time when such channels are frozen for most other countries. Islamabad has also been seen as a likely venue if peace talks are held.

Trump has said Iran is desperate to make a deal, while Araqchi said Tehran was reviewing the US proposal but had no intention of holding talks to wind down the conflict. Israeli officials have repeatedly said that no senior Iranian official was immune from being attacked.

Last week, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said that he and Netanyahu had authorized the military to target officials without prior authorization.