Araghchi: The attack on the Supreme Leader’s residence was carried out through a security breach
Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, stated that the attack on the residence of the late Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic and several senior commanders on the first day of the 40-day war was likely carried out through a security breach. He said the attackers were informed of all the meetings that day.
In an interview with the program ‘The Story of the War’, Araghchi expressed that a meeting he was attending was also targeted, and the office of Ali Asghar Hejazi, the main advisor to the late Supreme Leader, was bombed, but Hejazi survived the attack.
He also mentioned that the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations meeting was held at the Supreme Leader’s residence that day, contrary to usual practice, and most importantly, a meeting that Ali Shamkhani held with several military commanders. According to Araghchi, Shamkhani and those present at that meeting were killed in the attack on the same day.
The Iranian Foreign Minister also revealed the existence of pre-determined scenarios for responding to attacks and said that from the very first day of the war, a plan to close the Strait of Hormuz was ready to be implemented if the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic was targeted.
In another part of this interview, Araghchi, referring to pre-war negotiations with the United States, said that in a meeting with Steve Witkoff, he emphasized that the Islamic Republic does not decide to negotiate under threat or inducement, and that the issue of enrichment is not for sale. He also warned that in the event of an attack on Iran’s oil facilities or U.S. participation in attacks, the Islamic Republic would target accessible facilities and bases of the opposing side in the region.