Iranian president reportedly wounded by Israeli attempted assassination last month

On Sunday, Iranian Fars news agency released a report claiming Israel orchestrated an alleged assassination attempt against Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian last month. 

On June 16, a Supreme National Security Council Meeting was held between the president and other judiciary officials, including Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibar, in a building in western Tehran. According to the report, released by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated media, the meeting was interrupted when six missiles hit the building. The primary targets hit the building’s entrances and exits, attempting to cut off airflow and power in the building. 

Pezeshkian and other officials were all able to escape through a pre-planned emergency exit mostly unharmed, while the president did sustain a minor injury to his leg.

The attempt occurred three days after the start of the 12-day Israel-Iran war, triggered by Israel launching an offensive aerial attack on Iran on June 13, targeting military and nuclear facilities, as well as key scientists and government officials. This more recent attempt fell under similar lines, described by presidential advisor Sayyed Mehdi Tabatabaei in his statement to Al Mayadeen on Thursday as a targeted attack on Iranian political and military leaders by Israel. 

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President Pezeshkian had mentioned the attempt during an interview with American commentator Tucker Carlson last Monday. 

“They did try, yes. They acted accordingly, but they failed,” said Pezeshkian, clarifying that “it was not the United States that was behind the attempt on my life. It was Israel.” 

He additionally pointed to his belief that it was the Israeli use of spies that led them to “bombard the area in which we were holding that meeting.” This has led to an investigation by the Iranian government into a possible leak, as well as a crackdown on suspected Mossad agents.

Pezeshkian told Carlson that “Israel got information from the inspections carried out” by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The president described the IAEA’s last report as having given an excuse to Israel to attack. 

Tabatabaei also noted that Iran’s missile capabilities and nuclear enrichment programs were “undeniable rights,” and expressed his disappointment in the IAEA’s Director Rafael Grossi's treatment in regards to Iran’s nuclear program.

Iran has now severed ties with the IAEA, the U.N. body that is supposed to ensure cooperation and peaceful use of nuclear energy. 

As for the relations between the Iranian government and the United States, Pezeshkian stated that Iran sees no problem with recommencing nuclear negotiations, as was the plan before the war. 

However, due to the fact that Israel launched airstrikes right before the sixth round of nuclear negotiations were set to begin, Iranian officials point to a lack of trust. 

Tabatabaei told Al Mayadeen that Iran would not engage if negotiations were used as a form of deception. Pezeshkian echoed similar concerns, asking in his interview, “How can we know for sure that in the middle of the talks the Israeli regime will not be given ... permission again to attack us?”