 "President Masoud Pezeshkian will defend Minister Abdolnaser Hemmati (not pictured), who will also speak in favour of his own record. AFP")
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was reportedly the target of an Israeli assassination attempt during a strike on 15 June, amid the ongoing war between Iran and Israel, according to a report by Iran’s IRGC-linked Fars News Agency.
The report claims that Israel targeted a high-level meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council in Tehran, aiming to kill Pezeshkian, along with the Speaker of Parliament and the head of the judiciary. The strike reportedly involved missiles or bombs used to block the exits of the building where the meeting was taking place.
Pezeshkian was said to have sustained a minor leg injury, and all three officials managed to escape through an emergency exit. The attack, which reportedly injured the officials as they fled from the lower levels of the building, is currently under investigation. Authorities suspect that a mole may have leaked information about the meeting to Israel.
The assassination attempt was allegedly modelled on Israel’s operation that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last year.
Speaking to American commentator Tucker Carlson last week, Pezeshkian confirmed the attempt on his life. “They did try, yes. They acted accordingly, but they failed,” he said during a 28-minute interview. While he did not specify the date, he said the attack took place during a meeting and that Israel had used intelligence provided by spies to target the location.
The attempt was part of a broader Israeli offensive last month targeting Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure. That campaign led to the killing of senior Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists. Israel stated the strikes were necessary to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe armed conflict between Iran and Israel began on 13 June 2025, when Israel launched surprise attacks on key Iranian military and nuclear sites, amid the ongoing Gaza war and broader regional tensions.
In the opening hours of the conflict, Israeli air and ground forces killed several high-ranking Iranian military leaders, nuclear scientists, and politicians, and damaged or destroyed significant parts of Iran’s air defences and nuclear facilities.
Throughout the war, Israel conducted hundreds of airstrikes. In response, Iran launched waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli cities and military installations, firing over 550 ballistic missiles and more than 1,000 explosive drones.
On 22 June, the United States joined the offensive, striking key Iranian nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordo, and Isfahan using “bunker-busting” bombs and Tomahawk missiles. There were reports that Israel planned to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but US President Donald Trump claimed credit for preventing American and Israeli forces from carrying out the plan.