Iran is separately considering a Qatari-mediated proposal intended to end its conflict with the US and Israel.
By Shula Rosen
US Vice President JD Vance told Iran’s national security chief Mohsen Rezaei that renewed discussions must focus on the issue of Tehran’s nuclear program, Axios reported.
Vance sent Rezaei a letter stressing that any talks “require discussions on the nuclear issue,” a US official said. The Wall Street Journal first reported the outreach Wednesday evening.
Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, is one of the country’s top national security officials and has a direct line to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
Vance proposed sending the letter, according to a US official.
“The president was enthusiastic about the letter,” the official said, declining to disclose when it was sent.
The outreach represents the most senior-level US contact with Iran in several months and comes as President Trump considers resuming major combat operations in Iran after the midterm elections.
Washington and Tehran remain divided over the conditions for returning to negotiations.
Iran is demanding that the US lift its naval blockade, release frozen funds and permit oil sales before talks resume. The US position calls for Iran to return to nuclear negotiations before receiving sanctions relief.
President Trump gave a different description of the letter when questioned by reporters Wednesday, saying it concerned medical supplies for Iran.
“Basically, it’s getting supplies in to help people that are not well,” he said.
Iran is separately considering a Qatari-mediated proposal intended to end its conflict with the US and Israel.
The Vance letter sought to determine whether Washington and Tehran could resume negotiations and avoid a potential US attack on Iran in the coming weeks, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials and people familiar with the matter.
President Trump last week said negotiations with Tehran were not underway while indicating that a resolution was approaching.
“We are not negotiating with them. We will have an outcome one way or another. It will happen soon,” President Trump said.
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