Ghalibaf Plane Makes Emergency Landing After 2 Israeli Jets Threaten Attack

Q: An emergency landing saved Iran's top negotiator from Israeli jets. Who tipped them off at the last minute?

The immediate warning came from **Iranian security forces**, who alerted Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf’s plane mid-flight that intelligence showed **two Israeli fighter jets had entered Iranian airspace near the Iraq border** and were believed to be preparing an attack. That tip prompted the aircraft to make an emergency landing near the border, after which Ghalibaf and his delegation continued to Tehran by land. The broader backdrop, according to *The New York Times*, is that **US officials had already been worried Israel might target senior Iranian negotiators** during the cease-fire talks and had **indirectly warned Iran through regional intermediaries** about that danger. But the **last-minute operational alert that saved the flight** was attributed to **Iranian security services**, not directly to Washington.

3 articles · Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Jul 2

Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf’s plane made an emergency landing near Iran’s western border after security forces warned that two Israeli fighter jets had entered Iranian airspace and intended to strike it.
The incident happened in April as Ghalibaf was returning from Islamabad, where he had met US Vice President JD Vance; his delegation then traveled overland to Tehran.
US officials, according to the New York Times, feared Israel might use US-Iran cease-fire negotiations as cover to kill top Iranian negotiators, including Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, risking a renewed war.
That concern was serious enough that Washington reportedly asked regional countries to warn Tehran, and had earlier pressed Israel to remove at least Ghalibaf from a target list.
The report adds to a pattern of attacks on Iranian officials during the conflict, after Ali Larijani and Kamal Kharazi were killed and Ghalibaf twice previously survived strikes.

Sources

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The Jerusalem Post7h ago

Iranian Speaker Ghalibaf's Plane Forced to Land Amid Israeli Jet Threat

Roya News English7h ago

Roya News | US warned Iran of 'Israeli' assassination plots against Ghalibaf & Araghchi: NYT

The Sunday Guardian9h ago

US Officials Feared Israel Was Plotting to Assassinate Iran's Top Ceasefire Negotiators, Report Reveals

5 Sources

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The Islamabad MOU and the 2026 Middle East Crisis: U.S.-Iran Talks, Israeli Defiance, and Global Energy Shock

Overview

In June 2026, the United States and Iran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Switzerland, with mediation from Qatar and Pakistan. The MOU set a 60-day roadmap for a final deal and aimed to ensure safe, free passage for commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz. It also included steps to enforce a ceasefire in southern Lebanon. However, tensions quickly escalated when Iran accused Israel of violating the agreement by attacking Hezbollah, leading Iran to close the Strait in retaliation. These events highlight the fragility of the agreement and the deep mistrust among the involved parties.

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