Iran has deceived the United States at least twice to prevent strikes and reach talks in Oman, according to two diplomatic sources, one of them from the region.
During the first weeks of January, as the US prepared for a strike and began advancing its forces toward the Gulf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian conveyed messages to the Americans, including a promise that they would respond to initial American demands to avoid a strike. The Americans first demanded a halt to the massacre of protesters and the prevention of the expected executions there.
Araghchi and Pezeshkian pledged that there would be no executions, and President Trump presented this as an achievement on January 14 that led to postponing the decision to launch a strike. "We were told that the killing in Iran has stopped and there is no plan for executions, or for an execution, or for executions – that's what I was told based on reliable authority."
However, according to intelligence information that reached several intelligence agencies in the West, including the Mossad and the British and German agencies, the executions continued, but efforts were made to conceal them. Instead of hanging protesters who were caught in city squares, they were shot or strangled in custody, and their families were told they died in the protests, even though there is evidence they were arrested alive. According to estimates, this method resulted in thousands of executions, separate from the tens of thousands killed during the dispersal of protests. In addition, the West continuously receives reports about the ongoing suppression of protests and demonstrations breaking out in rural cities, and about mass arrests.
The second story is no less serious. Iran conveyed a message to the Americans through Turkey that it was ready to open negotiations with the US "for comprehensive discussion of all disputes." The Americans demanded details, and according to diplomatic sources, Iran confirmed it would agree to discuss not only the nuclear issue but also long-range missiles and the support and maintenance of terror organizations dependent on it – Hezbollah, the Houthis, the militias in Syria and Iraq, and, of course, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The Americans agreed in principle to hold the talks and, at Turkey's request, suggested that they take place in Ankara, with representatives of other countries, such as Qatar, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, present. Iran refused, and the negotiations moved to Muscat, Oman's capital, in the format that had existed last spring. Israel Hayom reported that at this stage, Iran raised a demand that the force buildup against it in the region be halted and that the forces already added withdraw. The Americans were furious about this and nearly canceled, while continuing to advance more and more forces.
Finally, a preliminary round of talks was held last Friday in Muscat. During it, the Americans discovered that Araghchi had not been authorized to discuss issues other than the nuclear one, and that even on this, the Iranian position was hardening. After initial discussions and an American threat to halt the talks, Araghchi informed the mediating Oman that there was something to discuss and suggested a principled agreement to address the other issues after the nuclear issue is agreed upon and a timetable for removing sanctions is set.
He also said he would come to the next meeting with a broader mandate. The Americans did not accept this position and conditioned the continuation of talks on bringing all issues to the table, but so far, Iran has not agreed to this.
The diplomatic sources say this information and the refusal of the hawkish line leaders in Iran to any discussion on other issues greatly diminishes the chance of resuming talks and increases the likelihood of extensive American action against the regime.
To this can be added the publications about the significant expansion of long-range missile production in Iran, and the renewal of activity at nuclear sites and their fortification ahead of a possible strike.
Israel Hayom has learned that the Iranian deception was presented to several leaders of countries in the region. Most countries in the region have announced they will not allow the Americans to attack Iran from their territory, but if convinced, they might participate in defensive operations. Thus, as Israel Hayom reported, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and Jordan participated in intercepting missiles and drones launched from Iran toward Israel in the war in June.
