Iranian Delegation Claims Narrow Escape from Aerial Attack En Route to Pakistan: Report
ISLAMABAD — Tensions between Washington and Tehran have taken a dark turn following reports that the Iranian diplomatic delegation narrowly avoided a security threat while traveling for peace talks in Pakistan.
The Jerusalem Post, citing a report from the Hezbollah-affiliated outlet Al-Mayadeen, indicates that the Iranian team believes they were specifically targeted for an assassination or kinetic strike.
A "State of Siege" in the Air
Professor Mohammad Marandi, a figure frequently described as a primary spokesperson for the Iranian leadership, claimed that the delegation received credible intelligence regarding a "potential attack" on their aircraft.
According to Marandi, the threat was confirmed while the group was returning to Tehran after the high-level negotiations in Islamabad collapsed.
To evade the perceived danger, the delegation was forced to take an alternative flight path. The incident has deepened the "cloud of mistrust" that already loomed over the first direct engagement between the two nations since the 1979 Revolution.
"Re-arming While Negotiating"
Speaking on Tuesday, Marandi signaled that the Islamic Republic is moving onto a war footing despite the potential for a second round of talks later this week.
"We don't trust the United States," Marandi told Al-Mayadeen, asserting that Tehran is "busy preparing ourselves for the next round of war."
He further claimed that the regime is actively strengthening its military hardware even while its diplomats sit at the bargaining table, justifying the move by calling the U.S. "deceitful."
The Nuclear Stumbling Block
The security scare follows a weekend of intense but ultimately fruitless negotiations led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
While President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that Iran had reached out to "work a deal," the details emerging from the talks suggest a massive divide:
U.S. Ultimatum: The American delegation has demanded that the U.S. take physical possession of all Iranian enriched uranium and implement permanent safeguards to prevent future enrichment.
The Hormuz Crisis: The U.S. remains committed to breaking the naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, which it views as a chokehold on global energy.
Iranian Response: Tehran has reportedly offered only a limited, five-year suspension of activity, which the White House has flatly rejected.
Diplomacy Under Fire
Despite the alleged attack and the hostile rhetoric, international mediators remain hopeful. Reports from Reuters and other sources suggest that both teams could return to Islamabad as early as Thursday to attempt to rescue the ceasefire before the April 21 deadline.
However, with the Iranian regime publicly declaring its intent to re-arm and claiming its diplomats are being hunted in the skies, the path to a diplomatic breakthrough appears narrower than ever.
The heavily fortified "Red Zone" in Islamabad remains under high alert as riot police and military personnel prepare for the potential return of the delegations.
