IRAN PERSPECTIVE

Tehran, July 11, 2026. Revelations of a possible Iranian plot to assassinate Donald Trump, as reported by the Wall Street Journal and CNN, have further escalated the already volatile crisis between Tehran and Washington. According to these media outlets, Israel allegedly discreetly shared intelligence with the US administration indicating that Iran had devised a plan to kill the president. Trump's remarks on the sidelines of the NATO summit suggest he was personally affected by this information, stating he believes he is at the top of Tehran's list of presumed targets. The change of presidential plane during his return from Ankara, according to US sources, illustrates the seriousness with which this threat is being taken.

However, two sources told CNN that some US officials suspect the Israeli report is intended to influence Trump's decisions as he evaluates a military escalation against Iran. The details of the alleged plot remain unclear, and Washington has yet to independently assess this intelligence - a caution that Iranian media, such as Khabar Online, is highlighting.

On the ground, the June truce between Tehran and Washington is faltering. US forces struck around 100 targets in Iran after Trump deemed the agreement null and void, citing Iranian attacks on navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran retaliated against US interests in Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait, claiming 85 targets were hit, while the Revolutionary Guards announced the launch of 10 ballistic missiles against a US command center and a base in Jordan, promising that "no further American aggression will be spared."

Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf warned that "if you strike, you will be struck," ruling out any reopening of the Strait of Hormuz outside Iranian conditions. Diplomat Ali Akbar Velayati placed the entire blame for the escalation on Washington. Conservative media, such as Kayhan, are already referring to the June memorandum as a "diplomatic mirage" that has disappeared as expected, while supporters of the negotiated path around President Massoud Pezeshkian are finding themselves weakened.