Iranupdated 1h ago3 min read
Pezeshkian Says Supreme Leader Grants Government Powers Over US Peace Talks
9outlets comparedA wider view of the story
3 Western Mainstream2 Asian2 Israeli2 West AsianThis article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Supreme Leader Khamenei granted government 'certain powers' to pursue peace talks with the United States. President Masoud Pezeshkian said the government received those powers, signaling internal authority shift.
Save coverage image
Al Jazeera was read line by line by the Watchdog: 3.0. See the score →
Who controls talks
President Masoud Pezeshkian said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had granted the government “certain powers” over negotiations with the United States aimed at preventing a further outbreak of war. Mojtaba Khamenei’s office said he met with top military commanders, including IRGC chief commander Ahmad Vahidi, to give them directives on how to handle US threats of all-out war. Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, told Al Jazeera that “any agreement must have the backing of the security-military establishment in Iran.”
The Supreme National Security Council votes on important decisions first, and the secretary of the SNSC, Mohsen Rezaei, has held more weight due to his role as a central coordinator for top national security files. US Vice President JD Vance wrote a letter to Tehran addressed to Rezaei, not the president or Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Rezaei, not Ghalibaf, would respond if he chooses.
Mediators, demands, and doubt
Qatar said on Tuesday that both sides were reviewing its proposals, while Tehran’s newspapers agreed that negotiating with the United States is legitimate but were divided over whether diplomacy can still prevent war. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran and Washington were still far from a deal, and Iran would not accept what he called Washington’s “excessive demands.” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said indirect talks were taking place via mediators, and he described the consultations as “very intensive,” with Qatar and Pakistan playing a very active mediating role.
Mohsen Rezaei wrote on X that “the United States’ response regarding Iran’s rights and demands was not convincing,” and he stressed that Washington must provide a full and explicit response to Iran’s seven conditions. CBS News reported that American forces near the strait on Monday responded to an apparent Iranian attack targeting a U.S. aircraft, while the U.S. and Iran continued to trade proposals ahead of midterm elections.
Strait of Hormuz at risk
Iran said it would only open the Strait of Hormuz and commit to peace talks if the U.S. followed Iran’s seven-point plan, and CBS News said the Iranians tied reopening to that condition. The plan demanded a halt to fighting on all fronts in the Middle East, and CBS News said Iran’s demands included a halt to fighting on all fronts and that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen only if those demands were met. Iran International reported that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered Iran’s armed forces to prepare for war across an extended front, and it said the immediate focus in Tehran was the letter from JD Vance to Mohsen Rezaei.
Fox News said the United States struck Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz in response to Iran firing at a U.S. aircraft, and it described the strike as “defensive” in response to Iran firing first. Al Jazeera reported that Iran put forward a seven-point plan it demands the U.S. abide by to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, while the stagnant negotiations highlighted who holds power within Iran’s government.