ISLAMABAD: Pakistan urged the United States to prevent Israel from targeting two senior Iranian officials to preserve potential diplomatic channels, a Pakistani official told Reuters on Thursday.
The request led to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf being removed from Israel’s target list, the official said.
“The Israelis had their coordinates and wanted to take them out. We told the U.S. that if they are also eliminated, then there is no one else to talk to, hence the U.S. asked the Israelis to back off,” the official said, adding that Washington subsequently asked Israel to stand down, according to Reuters.
The development comes as backchannel diplomacy intensifies amid the ongoing conflict involving Israel, the United States, and Iran.
Multiple diplomatic tracks are now in motion. Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary, with its official sources indicating that talks could be held in Islamabad in the coming days, adding momentum to ongoing indirect engagement.
Despite these efforts, Iran has publicly denied that formal negotiations are underway. Foreign Minister Araghchi has said that while messages are being exchanged through “friendly countries,” this does not constitute talks.
According to officials and analysts cited by The Washington Post, Tehran’s stance is shaped in part by pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which opposes overt compromise at this stage of the conflict.
A senior Iranian official, cited by Reuters, said Tehran is still reviewing a 15-point US proposal delivered via Pakistan, signalling that discussions are active behind the scenes despite mixed public messaging.
Pakistani officials told Reuters they are still awaiting a definitive reply from Tehran after follow-up contacts with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The US proposal, according to The Washington Post, includes potential sanctions relief in exchange for Iran relinquishing enriched uranium, halting enrichment, curbing its missile programme, and ending support for regional groups.
The latest developments highlight the delicate balance between escalating military tensions and ongoing diplomatic efforts to find a pathway toward de-escalation.
