President Donald Trump recently vetoed a significant plan proposed by Israel to eliminate Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to two U.S. officials who spoke to Reuters on June 15. This development comes amid escalating tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran, particularly concerning Iran's controversial nuclear program.
Sources within the U.S. administration revealed that top officials have maintained ongoing communications with their Israeli counterparts, especially following Israel's large-scale military operations aimed at disrupting Iran's nuclear ambitions. The Israeli government had indicated they saw an opportunity to take out Khamenei, but President Trump ultimately decided against pursuing this course of action. One senior U.S. official emphasized, “Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do, we're not even talking about going after the political leadership.”
The officials, who requested anonymity, indicated that President Trump has been in frequent contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. When pressed for comments on the reported veto, Netanyahu addressed the issue during an interview with Fox News Channel’s Special Report with Bret Baier. He noted, “There are so many false reports of conversations that never happened, and I’m not going to get into that. But I can tell you, I think that we do what we need to do, and we’ll do what we need to do.” He also remarked, “I think the United States knows what is good for the United States.”
Amid these developments, President Trump has expressed a desire to revive U.S.-Iranian negotiations concerning Tehran’s nuclear program. However, scheduled talks in Oman were abruptly canceled due to the recent military strikes. Trump stated on Friday, “We knew everything about the Israeli strikes,” indicating a level of awareness and involvement in the situation.
The veto of the Israeli plan to target Khamenei reflects the delicate balance that the Trump administration is trying to maintain in its foreign policy approach toward Iran. As tensions rise and diplomatic efforts waver, the future of U.S.-Iran relations remains uncertain, with potential implications for regional security and stability.
