According to reports from Reuters, the administration of U
S. President Donald Trump officially confirmed that it rejected Israel's plan to eliminate Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. This decision became one of the key episodes amid tensions ahead of political and military conflicts in the Middle East region. The report is supported by sources within the White House, who note that the United States remains steadfast in its stance that the use of force against Iran's political leadership is unacceptable until direct acts of aggression from Iran toward American citizens or interests occur. As reported by Reuters, a source within the Trump administration stated that the White House is not currently considering targeted strikes against Iran’s political elite. "Have the Iranians killed any Americans? No. Until that happens, we are not even contemplating attacks on Iran’s leadership," the official representative's words are cited. This statement was made against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the region that significantly worsened after Israeli airstrikes in Iranian territory in the early hours of June 13. Israel conducted strikes on Tehran’s capital and several other Iranian cities, which elicited broad international attention and increased concern about escalation of the conflict. The official Israeli government version claims that their actions were preventative, aimed at stopping Iran’s nuclear program and neutralizing Iran’s military targets. This was in response to reports of the elimination of several Iranian military personnel and nuclear scientists, including Major General Hossein Salami, Commander of the Quds Force Qassem Soleimani, Army Commander Mohamma Baghery, and six nuclear scientists. Meanwhile, according to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, at least five Ukrainian citizens may have been killed as a result of the Iranian strikes targeting Israeli targets, including three children. This underscores the scale and unpredictability of the conflict’s consequences for Ukrainians in the region. Following the Israeli strikes, U.S. President Donald Trump called on Iran to return to nuclear negotiations, asserting that the time has run out and that the moment has come for a final resolution. At the same time, Iran responded to these calls by declaring that negotiations with Washington are futile under current circumstances, citing the Israeli strikes as a justification. Thus, the situation in the Middle East remains tense, with a risk of further escalation that could have far-reaching consequences for regional stability and global security.