Pakistan on Thursday claimed Israel took Iranian foreign minister Abbas Aragchi and its parliament’s speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf off from its hit list on Islamabad’s request to Washington to “not to target them”.A Pakistani official told Reuters, “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.”According to the official, Israeli forces earlier had obtained precise coordinates of the two senior Iranian leaders and were preparing for possible strikes. However, Pakistan intervened diplomatically, urging the United States not to approve any action against them. Islamabad argued that eliminating both officials would leave Tehran with “no one else to talk to,” complicating efforts at de‑escalation amid the widening conflict involving Israel, the US and Iran.This comes a day after reports of Israel granting a “temporary immunity” to both Aragchi and Qalibaf.According to Israel’s Channel 14, the immunity being extended to Iranian figures on Wednesday is to remain in force for at least the full five days the negotiations with Tehran are said to be under way.The revelation comes after US President Donald Trump said discussions were taking place with Iranian officials and suggested the war could be nearing an end, claims that Iran’s government has publicly denied. Trump has described the contacts as “productive” and suggested progress was being made, but Tehran’s authorities have rejected such claims.
