JD Vance contacts senior Iranian official in bid to revive peace talks

US Vice President JD Vance has reached out to Iran's security chief in an effort to restart peace negotiations and avert another US attack on the Islamic republic, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.Vance sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, reportedly at the direction of US President Donald Trump, according to one of the newspaper's sources.

The outreach aims to establish whether Washington and Tehran can find enough common ground to persuade Trump to hold off on ordering what officials have described as a “short but intense” military campaign against Iran in the coming weeks.

The initiative comes despite Trump’s recent declaration that his administration was not negotiating with Iran and his repeated warnings that further military action could be imminent.

The letter and subsequent contacts between US and Iranian officials have focused on establishing a framework for potential negotiations rather than outlining a detailed peace agreement, according to the Wall Street Journal.Axios separately reported that Vance stressed in his letter that any negotiations aimed at preventing renewed US military strikes would have to address Iran’s nuclear programme.A US official told Axios that Vance had proposed sending the letter and that Trump had welcomed the initiative, although the official declined to specify when it was delivered.However, Trump offered a different account on Wednesday, denying that he had instructed Vance to pursue peace negotiations with Iran.

The US president said the contact was primarily aimed at facilitating the delivery of medical supplies.“They need help with medical supplies and various things,” Trump told reporters, adding that Vance had sought his approval before proceeding.Abbas Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister, wrote on X on Wednesday: "While our brave armed forces are fully prepared to defend the homeland, Iran is still giving diplomacy a chance to succeed."He added: "We are still in close and continuous contact with mediators to examine ideas that could guarantee implementation of our seven-day plan even in less than a week."

The letter comes as Washington has reportedly warned several Gulf Arab countries to prepare for a possible new military campaign against Iran after the US midterm elections on 3 November, according to the Wall Street Journal,However, Trump has not made a final decision on whether to authorise further strikes, citing people briefed on the discussions.

The conflict, which began with US and Israeli strikes in late February, has severely disrupted energy shipments from Gulf countries, with restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz contributing to wider economic fallout.