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RUSSIA PERSPECTIVE
ALLEGED IRANIAN PLOT TO ASSASSINATE DONALD TRUMP
DOMINANT ANGLE
Moscow separates the real threat from political calculation, with the Russian press emphasizing that the Israeli alert comes at the exact moment when the US is hesitating to resume strikes against Tehran.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
ANALYSIS
Moscow, July 11, 2026. Russian media are giving extensive coverage to Donald Trump's statements about an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate him. In an interview with the New York Post, relayed by Meduza and Vedomosti, the US President claims to have given his administration clear instructions: "If something happens to me, bomb them with a force they've never seen before." When asked about the origin of the alert, Trump downplays Israel's role: "No, no. Israel didn't find anything. I've been their number one target for a long time." He claims to have known about this threat for a long time, regardless of the intelligence transmitted this week.
Meduza, citing the Wall Street Journal and CNN, details that Israeli services have communicated to the US government elements indicating a new assassination plan, without the details being disclosed. Notably, the independent outlet points out that some US officials believe Israel is trying to influence Trump's decision to intensify strikes against Iran, as Benjamin Netanyahu pushes for the continuation of the military campaign.
TASS and Sputnik are putting this episode into the context of the collapse of the ceasefire signed in June: Trump declared the truce "over" on July 8, after new US strikes targeted Iranian targets, presented by the US as retaliation for attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz claims that the Israeli military remains "on high alert, ready to resume the campaign with increased force." RT recalls that Trump has already presented himself, during the NATO summit in Ankara, as Tehran's "number one target," referencing the successive elimination of Iranian leaders, including former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the beginning of the conflict. TASS also notes that Tehran has been promising for years to avenge the death of General Ghassem Soleimani, who was eliminated in 2020.
KEY POINTS
- Moscow views the situation as the US, under Trump's leadership, having given orders to "bomb Iran with unprecedented force" in the event of a successful attack against him, according to reports
- Russia's government notes that Israel has shared intelligence with the US government regarding a new alleged assassination plot targeting Trump, with details not publicly disclosed, as cited by various media outlets
- Russia observes that Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has stated the Israeli military is ready to resume its campaign against Iran "with increased force" following the end of the ceasefire announced by Trump on July 8
COGNITIVE BIASES IDENTIFIED
Russia's government views the situation as Moscow-centered, with the media largely relying on statements from the Russian capital, while Tehran's direct response is limited.
Russia's news agencies, such as TASS and Sputnik, focus on the regional military dynamics, framing the issue as a matter of national security, with less emphasis on concrete evidence of the plot itself.
In Moscow's perspective, the role of Israel is not extensively covered by independent sources, with some questioning Tel-Aviv's motivations for sharing this intelligence, but this aspect is not thoroughly explored by Russian media outlets.
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