Joint Airstrike Injures Iranian Diplomat Amid Negotiations
A recent US-Israeli airstrike has left senior Iranian diplomat Kamal Khalazi seriously injured. Khalazi has been reportedly involved in facilitating back-channel discussions for a potential direct meeting between Vice President J.D. Vance and Iranian officials.
According to reports from Iranian newspapers like Shargh, Etemad, and Ham Mihan, the strike occurred at Khalazi’s home in Tehran early Thursday. His wife was killed in the attack, while the 81-year-old former foreign minister is currently hospitalized with critical injuries. Khalazi had been collaborating with a Pakistani mediator to arrange a possible meeting with Vance.
This incident happens at a time when diplomatic efforts seemed to be gaining traction. By Tuesday, Vance had communicated with a Pakistan-linked mediator regarding the ongoing dispute. Sources familiar with the situation indicated that, under President Trump’s guidance, Vance had expressed willingness to consider a ceasefire if certain terms were met. He also warned that without an agreement, pressure on Iran’s infrastructure would intensify.
The New York Times reported that Khalazi was helping to coordinate conversations between Vance and Iranian authorities. However, Iranian negotiators have informed mediators that senior leadership in Iran has not agreed to direct talks yet.
President Trump addressed the nation that evening, stating that America’s military objectives were approaching completion and issuing a warning that Iran’s power grid would be targeted if the country rejected the proposed deal. It remains unclear whether Khalazi was the intended target of the airstrike, complicating the regime’s assertions about the possibilities for a diplomatic resolution.
In response, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Trump’s remarks. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghai was quoted expressing that Iran “will not tolerate a vicious cycle of war, negotiations, ceasefire, and then a return to conflict.”
Khalazi himself had anticipated such scenarios, mentioning weeks prior that while discussions were underway, they were also facing attacks.
