Israeli fighter jets entered Iranian airspace while Tehran's top negotiators were engaged in talks with the US, with American officials fearing Israel planned to assassinate two senior Iranian officials involved in the negotiations, The New York Times reported.US officials grew increasingly concerned that Israel could target Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as they returned to Iran after negotiations between Washington and Tehran in Pakistan in April. (AFP)The report, published on Wednesday, said US officials grew increasingly concerned that Israel could target Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as they returned to Iran after negotiations between Washington and Tehran in Pakistan in April.Also Read | US warned Iran of Araghchi, Ghalibaf's possible assassinations by Israel: ReportWashington's fear of derailed talksAccording to the NYT, Washington feared an Israeli assassination attempt could derail the talks and urged regional countries to warn Iran about the potential threat."Any attempt to kill the Iranian leaders would end the talks and reignite the fighting," American officials told the newspaper.As the US pushed for a ceasefire and a broader diplomatic framework, Israel remained sceptical of negotiations that did not align with its wider military objectives.It also reported that US officials believed Israel was planning to target Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as he returned to Tehran from Islamabad on April 12 following talks with US Vice President JD Vance.Also Read | U.S.-Iranian Trash Talk Is Disrupting Peace NegotiationsGhalibaf's emergency landing in MashhadAccording to the report, US authorities informed Tehran that two Israeli fighter jets had entered Iranian airspace through Iraq and were preparing to target Ghalibaf's aircraft during the return flight.The report added that Iranian authorities immediately relayed the intelligence to the aircraft, prompting Ghalibaf to make an emergency landing in Mashhad, in northern Iran, instead of continuing on its scheduled route to Tehran.A US official and a Middle East official told NYT that the Trump administration learned Ghalibaf had been placed on an Israeli targeting list and urged Israel not to take action against him.Iranian officials quoted in the report said Tehran also sought assurances from Washington, through Pakistani and Qatari intermediaries, that Israel would not target members of its negotiating team.The concerns deepened during an April visit to Islamabad, where Ghalibaf was scheduled to meet US Vice President JD Vance.According to the report, Pakistani fighter jets escorted the Iranian delegation's aircraft to and from Islamabad amid fears that Israel could attempt to assassinate senior Iranian officials.Mahdi Mohammadi, a senior adviser to Ghalibaf who accompanied the delegation, confirmed the account on social media."Today Mr Ghalibaf and Mr Araghchi, and other members of the negotiating team, have put their lives on the line knowing the grave security risks and this is called a real sacrifice, not political manoeuvring," Iranian lawmaker Mohsen Zanganeh told local media in April.