'Netanyahu Is Sabotaging Diplomacy': Israeli Attack Kills Top Iranian Nuclear Negotiator

Israel's large-scale military attack on Iran early Friday targeted and killed an official who was leading a committee on nuclear talks with the United States, a decision that observers and Iranian officials said was clearly designed to undercut progress toward a diplomatic agreement.

Ali Shamkhani, whose home was among those attacked by Israel on Friday, was a top aide to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and had expressed optimism in recent weeks about the prospect of improved relations with the U.S. as President Donald Trump signaled he was open to a deal.

"If the Americans act as they say, for sure we can have better relations," Shamkhani toldNBC News last month. "It can lead to a better situation in the near future."

The next round of nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran was scheduled for Sunday. One unnamed Trump administration official said that "we still intend to have talks Sunday," but Friday's attacks left the status of the already-tenuous negotiations in serious doubt, as Iran responded to Israel's assault with a barrage of drones and warnings of additional retaliation.

Trump, in a social media response to the unfolding disaster, did not sound a diplomatic note, accusing Iran of missing "chance after chance to make a deal" and threatening that the situation "will only get worse."

"Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left," added the president, who during his first White House term withdrew the U.S. from a previous nuclear agreement with Iran.

"Trump must oppose Netanyahu's escalation and pursue a diplomatic path to deal with Iran's nuclear program."

The Trump administration claimed the U.S. was not directly involved in Friday's attacks, but Israel notified Washington in advance. Israel is heavily dependent on U.S. arms, and observers said it was inconceivable that the attack went forward without at least tacit approval from the Trump administration.

New York Times journalist Farnaz Fassihi reported that Iranian officials viewed the assassination of Shamkhani as "Israel targeting and killing nuclear diplomacy with the U.S."

Others, including foreign policy analysts and Democratic lawmakers in the U.S., echoed that assessment.

"This action ordered by Prime Minister Netanyahu appears to deliberately undermine ongoing American diplomatic negotiations about Iran's nuclear program, with the latest talks scheduled for this weekend," said U.S. Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) in a statement. "Conflict should always be a last resort, especially when diplomacy is ongoing."

Dylan Williams, vice president for government affairs at the Center for International Policy, observed that "the overwhelming consensus among Democratic lawmakers commenting on Israeli attacks on Iran tonight is that Netanyahu is sabotaging diplomacy and recklessly risking a war."

"The next step should be to make clear: No U.S. help, no U.S. forces, and no U.S. taxpayer funding for Bibi's war," Williams wrote.

The chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), warned Trump that he "must not violate the Constitution by involving American troops in Netanyahu's war without coming to Congress."

"Netanyahu's reckless strike risks provoking a wider war and pulling in the United States," said Casar. "Trump must oppose Netanyahu's escalation and pursue a diplomatic path to deal with Iran's nuclear program."