Vice President JD Vance (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Which cited US and Middle Eastern officials and people familiar with the discussions, Vance wrote to Rezaei in October requesting a meeting, according to The Wall Street Journal. President Donald Trump has told senior aides and counterparts in recent days that he is open to Vance resuming negotiations with Iran, and has authorised him to pursue talks, officials told the newspaper. US officials said the vice-president has lately been more active in Iran diplomacy than special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who are also involved in negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
US vice-president JD Vance is reportedly considering face-to-face talks with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei as he takes a leading role in efforts to negotiate an end to the war. However, no date has been fixed, and the two sides continue to communicate through mediators and regional allies. However, discussions about a possible meeting between Vance and Iranian officials are still at a preliminary stage.
The WSJ reported that Qatar has emerged as a possible venue for the next round of talks.
People familiar with Tehran’s position said Iranian officials want Washington to lift its naval blockade, release frozen assets and ease oil sanctions before talks resume. US secretary of state Marco Rubio dismissed these demands as unrealistic, but said Washington would be ready for diplomacy if Iran altered its stance. Efforts to restart negotiations, however, face considerable obstacles. The diplomatic push comes as the Trump administration weighs whether to resume peace talks or maintain its naval blockade and sanctions.
Vance met the Qatari prime minister on Monday, after which the two held discussions with Trump and other White House officials. On Tuesday, Rubio said the economic pressure campaign was working and that Trump had no immediate need to launch major combat operations, adding that the US military remained prepared to act if Iran crossed any red lines.