'It was not the US': Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian reveals how Israel tried to assassinate him

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian it was Israel that tried to assassinate him during the 12-day war and not the United States.

Recalling the assassination attempt, Pezeshkian said he was in a meeting when Israel carried out a bombing to target him. He was speaking to US TV host Tucker Carlson in an interview.

"They did try, yes. They acted accordingly, but they failed," Pezeshkian said. "It was not the United States that was behind the attempt on my life. It was Israel. I was in a meeting... they tried to bombard the area in which we were holding that meeting."

The Iranian president said Tehran can resolve its differences with Washington through dialogue. "The United States president Mr Trump, he is capable enough to guide the region towards the peace and a brighter future and put Israel in its place. Or get into a pit, an endless pit, or a swamp," Pezeshkian said.

However, he wondered how Iran can trust the US after it let Israel attack the country. "How can we know for sure that in the middle of the talks the Israeli regime will not be given the permission again to attack us?"

Pezeshkian then blamed Tel Aviv for derailing the talks by attacking Tehran on June 13, a 12-day war wherein 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists were killed.

The president's revelations come two days after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei appeared in the public for the first time since the war with Israel began. During the war, Trump said Khamenei was an easy target. However, Israel's plan to assassinate the leader failed to get approval.

Middle East