Iran strategically foiled Israeli-US scheme, Advisor Shamkhani says
Iranian official Ali Shamkhani says Israeli assassination plot failed, discusses Iran’s security readiness, and US destabilization efforts in an exclusive interview.
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In this June, 12, 2021, file photo, former Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani sits in a meeting in Tehran, Iran (AP)
Ali Shamkhani, advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic of Iran, revealed that an Israeli assassination attempt against him had failed. Speaking in an interview with Iranian television, Shamkhani stated that he is aware of the motive behind the attempt but cannot reveal it at this stage. "I taught them a harsh lesson," he said.
Shamkhani explained that Tehran had recognized from the beginning that negotiations with the United States were not genuinely aimed at achieving an agreement. Instead, he said, the talks were used to create an atmosphere conducive to internal agitation and destabilization within Iran.
He emphasized that Iran's leadership had been fully prepared for any scenario, noting that "leaders were replaced within just 12 hours" and that all operations following the attempt were carried out according to pre-established plans. This preparedness, he added, reflected the country's robust military and security posture against any form of escalation or infiltration.
Ali Shamkhani made his first public appearance since the failed assassination attempt on Saturday in Tehran’s Revolution Square. He participated in the funeral procession of 60 martyrs who lost their lives in recent Israeli aggression against Iran.
Israeli media had claimed Shamkhani was targeted and killed in an Israeli assassination at the start of the aggression on Iran. However, a few days later, he revealed he was alive in a heartfelt letter addressed to Sayyed Ali Khamenei and the people of Iran, pledging to resume his role in service of his leader and nation.
Read more: We planned to assassinate Khamenei, but we couldn't reach him: Katz