Among the senior Iranian officials who were killed in Israel’s initial wave of airstrikes on Iran on Friday was Ali Shamkhani, a senior advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who wanted to strike a nuclear deal with the US.

In an interview with NBC News in May, Shamkhani said Iran was willing to recommit to its pledge to never build a nuclear weapon, reduce uranium enrichment to low levels, and get rid of its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium in exchange for sanctions relief from the US.

“It’s still possible. If the Americans act as they say, for sure we can have better relations,” Shamkhani said at the time. “It can lead to a better situation in the near future.”