Iranian president accuses Israel of assassination attempt amid rising Western hostilities

Department of Research, Studies and International News 08-07-2025

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has revealed that the Zionist regime attempted to assassinate him during a recent aerial attack, highlighting once again the aggressive and lawless tactics employed by Tel Aviv in its efforts to destabilize the region and eliminate independent leadership.

In a rare interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, Pezeshkian affirmed that the Israeli military targeted the site of a meeting he was attending, with the apparent aim of eliminating him. Speaking through an interpreter, the president stated, “They did try, yes. They acted accordingly, but they failed.” Though he did not confirm whether this brazen attack took place during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel last month, the implications are clear: Israel continues to act with impunity and outside the bounds of international law, emboldened by Western complicity.

Contrary to previous speculation, Pezeshkian clarified that Washington was not directly behind the attempt on his life. “It was not the United States that was behind the attempt on my life. It was Israel,” he emphasized. He described how he was present at a meeting when the Israeli regime launched a bombardment on the location.

This is not the first instance of Israel attempting political assassination, but targeting the sitting president of a sovereign nation marks a disturbing escalation. Such actions, if successful, would not only have removed a key Iranian leader but also sent a clear message that Tel Aviv seeks to destroy the political foundation of the Islamic Republic itself, not just its military capabilities or scientific expertise.

U.S. President Donald Trump previously admitted to preventing an Israeli operation aimed at assassinating Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had remained out of the public eye for weeks before recently reappearing at a public religious ceremony in Tehran. Despite the attempted attacks and health concerns, Khamenei appeared composed and resilient, much to the relief of Iranian citizens and leadership alike.

The Zionist entity has boasted of killing more than 30 senior Iranian security personnel and 11 nuclear scientists during the recent confrontation. Alongside its American partner, it claims to have struck Iran’s three primary nuclear facilities. These assertions, which cannot be independently verified, are part of a broader campaign by the U.S.-Israeli alliance to halt Iran’s sovereign scientific and defense progress.

Nevertheless, President Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have refused to be intimidated. Both have continued to participate in public events and diplomatic activities. Pezeshkian has visited neighboring Azerbaijan, while Araghchi has made trips to Brazil, Egypt, and Moscow, reinforcing Tehran’s commitment to global cooperation and diplomatic dialogue, particularly with non-Western allies.

During his conversation with Carlson, Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran did not initiate the recent war and holds no interest in its continuation. “We did not start this war and we do not want this war to continue in any way,” he said. He reiterated that his presidential campaign was built on the principles of national unity and regional harmony, not confrontation or escalation.

When asked about Iran’s stance on reviving nuclear negotiations, Pezeshkian expressed willingness to return to the table, on the condition that trust with the United States could be genuinely reestablished. “We see no problem in re-entering the negotiations,” he explained. “But how are we going to trust the United States again? We returned to negotiations, and then suddenly the Israeli regime was again given permission to attack us.”

In this light, the Iranian leadership has been consistent in its view that real diplomacy cannot proceed while acts of aggression, sanctioned or tolerated by the West, continue unchecked. The president also firmly denied U.S. allegations that Tehran had plotted to assassinate former President Trump.

As for international oversight of Iran’s nuclear program, Pezeshkian acknowledged that the recent Zionist-American attacks had severely damaged the affected sites. “Access is currently not possible because they have been severely affected,” he said regarding inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He further criticized the agency’s silence on these strikes, stating that its inaction had eroded Iranian trust in international mechanisms. “The IAEA’s silence in the face of these attacks, which are contrary to international law, has sown mistrust among the Iranians.”

The assassination attempt on Pezeshkian, and the ongoing Western-enabled assaults, paint a clear picture: the United States and Israel are pursuing a reckless policy of confrontation and sabotage. In contrast, Iran’s leadership continues to call for dialogue, sovereignty, and mutual respect, insisting on its right to self-defense and regional cooperation while resisting imperialist interference.

This unfolding crisis raises profound questions about the international community’s willingness to confront the real aggressors in the region and uphold the principles of international law, rather than enabling their violation through silence and selective outrage.