Vance Contacts Iran’s Rezaei to Explore Talks

Vice President JD Vance sent a letter to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei to test whether the United States and Iran could establish a framework for renewed negotiations, according to reporting based on people familiar with the matter. The reported outreach comes as President Donald Trump threatens possible renewed strikes against Iran after the November 3 midterm elections. The reported account says Trump directed Vance to send the letter and was kept informed. Trump said he approved Vance’s contact but disputed that he ordered peace negotiations, describing the outreach as an effort to help Iran obtain medical supplies. The accounts differ over the purpose and extent of Trump’s role. The letter and subsequent exchanges reportedly focused on creating conditions for talks, not setting out a detailed peace agreement. The contents and timing of the letter have not been made public. Iranian officials were reported by one account to be unaware of the contact, while a spokesperson for Vance declined to comment. Rezaei is secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He said last week that Tehran would not...