Vice President JD Vance has contacted top Iranian official Gen. Mohsen Rezaei to propose a renewal of comprehensive peace negotiations, according to U.S. and Iranian officials. Vance made the outreach in a letter sent last week via Qatari mediators and delivered Sunday to Rezaei, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and former Revolutionary Guards commander.
In the letter, Vance suggested American and Iranian officials meet soon, adding he would lead the talks for the United States. The proposal was received well by Iran’s leaders, many of whom view Vance as an influential figure who could help end hostilities. Rezaei was expected to formally reply by Thursday.
President Trump read the letter and approved it before it was sent to Tehran. The outreach comes at a tense moment, with Trump weighing a possible renewal of active strikes against Iran potentially after next Tuesday's midterm elections. The U.S. military has drawn up an expanded list of targets, including energy infrastructure vital to the Iranian economy.
Iran has warned it would retaliate fiercely, targeting infrastructure and underwater cables. U.S. officials said Iran was in advanced stages of planning attacks against Americans in the Middle East and other regions. Vance stressed in the letter the necessity of resolving the nuclear question through direct negotiations. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Vance's outreach.
The letter did not specify a time or place, but direct negotiations could potentially start as early as next week in Qatar or Turkey. If Tehran accepts, negotiations would begin without precondition. While our Brave Armed Forces are fully prepared to defend the Homeland, Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed,.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing