Iran’s President Points Accusing Fingers At Israel – Over What?

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has accused Israel of attempting to assassinate him by targeting a location where he was holding a meeting.

In a rare and high-profile interview with U.S. media personality Tucker Carlson, Pezeshkian claimed that the alleged strike was part of a broader Israeli campaign against Iran’s leadership during last month’s 12-day war between the two nations.

“They tried, yes,” Pezeshkian said through an interpreter during the interview released Monday.

“They acted accordingly, but they failed.”

The president, who was elected last summer, stated that the attack occurred while he was engaged in a meeting, although he did not specify whether the event took place during the recent conflict.

“It was not the United States that was behind the attempt on my life.

“It was Israel,” he added, accusing Tel Aviv of directly targeting him without providing detailed evidence.

The interview marks one of Pezeshkian’s first engagements with Western media since open hostilities erupted between Iran and Israel earlier this year.

U.S. President Donald Trump had previously claimed he prevented Israel from assassinating Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The 86-year-old cleric, who disappeared from public view for nearly three weeks during the conflict, recently reappeared at a religious ceremony in Tehran.

His appearance was met with public relief amid growing speculation about his health and safety.

While absent from the public eye, Khamenei made several video addresses, where he appeared visibly frail but defiant.

An Israeli attempt to kill Pezeshkian would represent a significant escalation, shifting the conflict beyond military and scientific figures toward Iran’s top political leadership.

During the height of the 12-day conflict, Trump expressed support for regime change in Iran but later shifted tone, now calling for a long-term diplomatic resolution.

However, details of what the U.S. might offer Iran in any potential deal remain vague.

According to Israeli military sources, over 30 senior Iranian security officials and 11 nuclear scientists were killed in targeted operations during the recent war.

Israel claims it struck a severe blow to Iran’s nuclear capabilities and, with U.S. cooperation, destroyed three of Iran’s key nuclear facilities.

Despite the volatile security situation, Pezeshkian and his foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, have continued making public appearances both at home and abroad.

Pezeshkian attended a regional summit in Azerbaijan, while Araghchi has traveled to countries including Brazil, Egypt, and Russia, signaling that the Iranian leadership remains operational and undeterred by the conflict.

During his conversation with Carlson, Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran did not initiate the war and has no desire to see it continue.

“We did not start this war, and we do not want it to persist,” he said, reiterating his campaign message focused on national unity and strengthening relations with neighboring countries.

The Iranian president also expressed openness to resuming nuclear negotiations, provided trust can be re-established with the United States.

“We see no problem in re-entering the negotiations,” Pezeshkian said.

“But how can we trust the U.S. again?

“If we resume talks, what assurances do we have that Israel won’t be allowed to attack us again mid-negotiation?”

He firmly denied any Iranian involvement in plots to assassinate Donald Trump, pushing back against unverified claims of Tehran-sponsored retribution efforts.

When asked about allowing the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) back into Iran for inspections, Pezeshkian was noncommittal.

He said the extent of damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities from the Israeli strikes is still unknown and that access is currently not possible due to the severity of the destruction.

He also criticized the IAEA for its silence following the attacks, which he said violated international law and contributed to a growing sense of distrust among Iranians.

“We must first assess the condition of the nuclear sites,” he said.

“Once access is possible, inspections may be considered, but the silence of the IAEA in the face of these aggressions has deeply undermined its credibility.”

As the fallout from the 12-day war continues, Pezeshkian’s remarks highlight the deepening hostilities in the region and the fragile prospects for diplomacy.

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