U.S. Vice President JD Vance has reached out to senior Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei in an effort to restart stalled peace negotiations, sending a letter aimed at reopening diplomatic channels between Washington and Tehran, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing U.S. officials and people familiar with the matter.
Vance sent a letter to Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to U.S. officials and people familiar with the matter cited by the newspaper.
The outreach was authorized by President Donald Trump, who was aware of the initiative, one source said.
Vance is reportedly seeking to determine whether Washington and Tehran can bridge their differences sufficiently to persuade Trump to hold off on ordering a brief but intensive military offensive against Iran in the coming weeks. The U.S. president threatened to destroy Iran if no agreement is reached before the midterms.
The diplomatic initiative comes amid renewed threats of U.S. military action following the Nov. 3 midterm elections, with Washington maintaining pressure on Tehran over its nuclear program and regional activities.
Trump has kept military options open while diplomatic efforts continue through regional intermediaries.
