In one season of the American television series Homeland, the protagonists, Carrie and Saul, attempt to convince the newly elected president that Israel is deceiving the administration by claiming Iran is violating the nuclear agreement. Under this fictional theory, elements within the administration, particularly in the State Department, treat intelligence coming from Israel with excessive suspicion.
At the highest levels in Israel, there are officials who argue that this mindset has, to some extent, been adopted by President Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
A senior Israeli official confirmed that Witkoff is serving as the intermediary with Iran. "Witkoff brought Trump a WhatsApp message from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, along with a written assurance from President Masoud Pezeshkian, in order to persuade him to postpone the strike," the official said.
This may not have been the sole reason for the delay, as preparations for a major operation were not fully complete two weeks ago, but it did influence the president's mood. "Even now, as intelligence and testimonies from Iranians reach Israel and intelligence agencies in other countries in the region, as well as the US itself, Witkoff continues to push for a diplomatic route to resolve the Iran problem," the senior Israeli official said, expressing clear frustration.
Israel, other countries and international organizations have been passing information to the US indicating that the death toll from the suppression of protests in Iran has likely surpassed 20,000. The vast majority were protesters and civilians, alongside several hundred members of the security forces killed in clashes with demonstrators, mainly in the north of the country. Among the dead are hundreds who were executed by gunfire or hanging, often without trial.
