Former U.S. President Donald Trump recently vetoed an Israeli proposal to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to two senior U.S. officials who spoke to Reuters on Sunday.
One of the sources, a senior member of the U.S. administration, stated: “Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do, we’re not even discussing targeting political leadership.” The officials claimed Israel had informed Washington about an opportunity to eliminate Khamenei, but Trump rejected the idea.
While it is unclear whether Trump personally communicated the decision to Israel, he has reportedly maintained regular contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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When asked about the Reuters report during an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Special Report With Bret Baier,” Netanyahu responded vaguely: “There are many false reports of conversations that never happened, and I’m not going to get into that. But I can tell you, we will do what we need to do. And I believe the United States understands what’s in its own best interest.”
Trump has shown interest in reopening negotiations with Iran regarding its nuclear program. However, diplomatic talks planned in Oman for Sunday were canceled following the Israeli strikes. Speaking to Reuters on Friday, Trump remarked, “We knew everything” about the Israeli operations.
