Deal or war? US sees Iran's hardline power broker as 'greatest hope for peace'

The United States is making a potentially final diplomatic push to reach an agreement with Iran, with Vice President JD Vance offering to meet personally with one of Tehran's most powerful hard-line figures as President Donald Trump weighs renewed military action against the Islamic Republic. Vance sent a message last week to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, expressing his willingness to hold direct talks on an agreement to end the war.

The message described Rezaei as the greatest hope for peace, according to reports. The diplomatic overture comes as Washington considers resuming large-scale military operations against Iran. Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, presented Trump with military options for action against Iran on Wednesday during an unusual personal visit to the White House, The Wall Street Journal reported. The disclosure of Vance's letter to Rezaei first emerged earlier this week.

On Thursday, a U.S. official familiar with the negotiations told The Washington Post that the message sought to emphasize the central importance of both countries' national interests in reaching an agreement. American officials close to the negotiations believe the confrontation with Iran is approaching a decisive moment and have sought to convince Tehran's hard-line leadership that Vance's diplomatic initiative is serious. According to one official, Vance identified Washington's overriding objective as ensuring that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons.

He described Iran's principal interests as rebuilding an economy severely damaged by war and sanctions while preserving its national sovereignty. Vance also stressed that Iran must send representatives authorized to negotiate nuclear issues, the official said. The White House believes the window for reaching an agreement without returning to war may be closing. Vance's outreach reflects the Trump administration's assessment that Rezaei has become the central power broker in Tehran and may be the only figure capable of assembling sufficient political support for an agreement to halt Iran's nuclear program.

U.S. intelligence officials believe Rezaei maintains regular contact with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and that the two have spoken in recent days, following the arrival of Vance's letter. Should a meeting take place, Istanbul or Doha, Qatar, would be the most likely venues, the American official said. Washington turns to Rezaei after earlier talks collapse Vance has been leading the administration's diplomatic efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict with Iran.

In April, he traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan, where he met Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and proposed lifting U.S. economic sanctions in exchange for a binding nuclear agreement. The proposal also envisioned extensive economic cooperation, which Trump's negotiating team described as a "golden bridge" toward a more stable relationship between Washington and Tehran. Ghalibaf, however, was unable to secure support for the proposed agreement among Iran's leadership.

A narrower memorandum of understanding was subsequently signed, but it quickly unraveled when hostilities resumed in the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically vital waterway through which a substantial share of the world's oil supplies passes. Since the Islamabad meeting, U.S. intelligence agencies have increasingly concluded that Rezaei occupies a pivotal position within Iran's political and security establishment. The former Revolutionary Guards commander retains considerable influence among his former colleagues in the military organization, which plays a central role in Iran's security apparatus and political system.

He has also consolidated his authority by reorganizing the Supreme National Security Council and appointing loyalists to influential positions within the body. The council is one of Iran's most important decision-making institutions, coordinating national security and defense policy across the country's political and military leadership. Rezaei's influence extends beyond security matters. He works closely with officials responsible for overseeing Iran's economy, which has been severely weakened by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and increasingly stringent international sanctions.

American officials believe his familiarity with both the security establishment and the country's economic difficulties could make him particularly influential in determining whether Tehran accepts a negotiated settlement. One U.S. official said Rezaei "understands the gravity of the situation." Qatar maintains contact with Iranian leadership Qatar has emerged as the principal mediator in the conflict, with its envoys maintaining regular communication with Rezaei and other senior Iranian officials.

The Gulf state has played a central role in facilitating indirect contacts between Washington and Tehran, making Doha a possible location for direct negotiations if both sides agree to meet. According to reports, Iranian leaders interpreted Vance's decision to approach Rezaei personally as a gesture of respect, suggesting Washington recognizes his standing within the country's leadership. However, there has been no indication that Tehran has softened its position on the nuclear issue.

The lack of movement underscores the uncertainty surrounding the latest diplomatic initiative, even as the United States attempts to identify an Iranian official capable of delivering a deal that the country's leadership would accept. For the Trump administration, the immediate challenge is determining whether Rezaei can translate his political influence into meaningful concessions before Washington concludes that diplomacy has run its course.

With military options once again under consideration at the White House, the outreach to Rezaei represents an effort to test whether an agreement remains possible before the confrontation enters another phase of fighting.