US Vice President JD Vance has contacted Iran's security chief in a bid to revive peace talks that could head off a renewed American assault on the Islamic republic, the Wall Street Journal has reported.
Vance sent the letter to Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, in a move that one of the Journal's sources said was directed by President Donald Trump. The letter and subsequent talks between US and Iranian officials focused on a possible framework for negotiations rather than specifics of a peace proposal, the newspaper said.
The Journal also reported that Washington told several Gulf Arab countries to prepare for a possible "short, intense military campaign" against Iran after the US midterm elections on 3 November, though, citing people briefed on the conversations, Mr Trump had not made a final decision.
The war, launched by the United States and Israel in late February, has severely disrupted energy shipments from Gulf countries. Iran began blockading the Strait of Hormuz, through which around a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas used to travel, after the conflict began, and regularly attacks vessels that attempt to cross without its authorisation. The United States has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran was discussing a plan with mediators to end the war and reopen the strait. "While our brave armed forces are fully prepared to defend the homeland, Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed," he said in a post on X. "We remain in close and ongoing contact with intermediaries to review ideas that can ensure implementation of our seven-Day Plan in even less than a week." Mr Trump previously rejected the plan after Iran proposed it in September. Mr Araghchi said at the time that under the plan the strait would reopen within seven days if "necessary conditions", including a ceasefire across the Middle East, were met; Iran also demanded the unfreezing of its assets abroad, the lifting of sanctions on its oil sector and an end to the naval blockade.
Axios reported that regional mediators led by Qatar were pushing for "a diplomatic deal" to restart US-Iran talks and prevent the resumption of war after the midterms. Citing US, Israeli and other regional sources, the report said the Qataris were trying "to convince Iran to allow UN inspectors to visit its bombed nuclear sites in return for some sanctions relief from the US." Iran said a Qatari delegation visited Tehran on Sunday for talks.
Votes were counted in an Israeli election that could determine the future of the regional war, with no clear winner emerging between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc and an opposition camp led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Mr Netanyahu, vying to form a coalition government, said Israel has an opportunity to eliminate the "existential threat" posed by Iran. His rival warned: "Netanyahu, don't you dare use Israel's security for your political needs." On Sunday, Israel's Channel 12 reported that Mr Netanyahu and the military chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, had clashed over an order for unspecified military action; Mr Netanyahu denied the report.
Tehran said the outcome of the polls "makes no difference." Mr Araghchi said a resumption of war with the US and Israel would also not change Iran's position: "They have already done so twice and have seen the results. If they want to try again, they know they will achieve no different outcome from those of the past." In a separate post on X, he wrote: "Devastating impact on int'l markets of any Israel-instigated military misadventure in Persian Gulf region remains major concern for both gas suppliers and consumers," referring to discussions at the Gas Exporting Countries Forum summit in Moscow. Iran's military warned it would retaliate more widely against any new attack, with security chief Mr Rezaei saying it could strike US-related infrastructure including data centres and other artificial intelligence targets, and Iran dismissed Mr Netanyahu's threats to topple its government as "empty" and "a sign of desperation."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- A renewed US or Israeli campaign against Iran would deepen global economic fallout from a war that has already cut oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, the route for around a fifth of the world's oil and LNG.
- The Vance letter and reported preparations for a "short, intense military campaign" show Washington weighing diplomacy and force at once, with Gulf states bracing for conflict after the 3 November midterm elections.
- Israel's unresolved election leaves the war's direction uncertain: Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to topple Iran's government, while challenger Gadi Eisenkot is warning against using security for political ends.
Background
The war between the US and Israel, on one side, and Iran, on the other, began in late February, the first direct conflict between Israel and Iran after decades of enmity. Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global energy shipments, and the US imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports. Peace negotiations have been stalled for months. Iran proposed a seven-day plan in September, under which the strait would reopen if a Middle East ceasefire and other conditions were met, but President Trump rejected it.
Key Perspectives
- Trump administration: per the Wall Street Journal, sent a letter via Vice President Vance proposing a framework for talks and has told Gulf Arab states to prepare for a possible "short, intense military campaign" after the 3 November midterms, without a final decision.
- Iran: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance, is discussing a seven-day plan with mediators, and that any new attack will achieve "no different outcome" from past ones.
- Benjamin Netanyahu: says Israel has an opportunity to eliminate the "existential threat" posed by Iran.
- Gadi Eisenkot: warned Mr Netanyahu, "don't you dare use Israel's security for your political needs."
What to Watch
- Whether President Trump authorises the reported "short, intense military campaign" after the 3 November US midterm elections.
- Whether Qatari mediation produces a deal for UN inspectors to visit Iran's bombed nuclear sites in return for sanctions relief.
- Which Israeli bloc can form a coalition, and whether Mr Netanyahu's pledge to eliminate the "existential threat" becomes policy.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedVance contacted Iran's security chief in a bid to revive peace talks, as the Wall Street Journal reported.RTÉ News: “US Vice President JD Vance has contacted Iran's security chief in a bid to revive peace talks that could head off a renewed American assault on the Islamic republic, the Wall Street Journal has reported.”
- Partly supportedThe summary says Washington told Gulf Arab countries to prepare for a possible campaign after the midterms.RTÉ News: “The Wall Street Journal has reported that Washington told several Gulf Arab countries to prepare for a possible "short, intense military campaign" against Iran after the US midterm elections on 3 November.”
- SupportedThe letter and subsequent US-Iranian talks focused on a possible framework for negotiations, not specifics of a peace proposal.RTÉ News: “The letter - as well as subsequent talks between US and Iranian officials - focused on a possible framework for negotiations rather than specifics of a peace proposal, the Wall Street Journal said.”
- SupportedTrump had not made a final decision about the possible military campaign.RTÉ News: “But the newspaper, citing people briefed on the conversations, said Mr Trump had not made a final decision.”
- SupportedAraghchi said Iran's armed forces were prepared to defend the country while Iran continued to give diplomacy a chance.RTÉ News: “"While our brave armed forces are fully prepared to defend the homeland, Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed," he said in a post on X.”
- SupportedAraghchi said Iran remained in contact with intermediaries to review ideas for implementing its seven-day plan in less than a week.RTÉ News: “"We remain in close and ongoing contact with intermediaries to review ideas that can ensure implementation of our seven-Day Plan in even less than a week."”
- SupportedNetanyahu said Israel had an opportunity to eliminate the existential threat posed by Iran.RTÉ News: “Mr Netanyahu, vying to form a coalition government after yesterday's closely contested polls, has said Israel has an opportunity to eliminate the "existential threat" posed by Iran.”
- SupportedEisenkot told Netanyahu not to use Israel's security for his political needs.RTÉ News: “"Netanyahu, don't you dare use Israel's security for your political needs," Mr Eisenkot said.”
- SupportedAraghchi said a return to war would not change Iran's position, saying the US and Israel had already tried twice and would get no different outcome if they tried again.RTÉ News: “He said: "They have already done so twice and have seen the results. "If they want to try again, they know they will achieve no different outcome from those of the past."”
- SupportedAraghchi described the market impact of an Israel-instigated military action in the Persian Gulf as a major concern for gas suppliers and consumers.RTÉ News: “"Devastating impact on int'l markets of any Israel-instigated military misadventure in Persian Gulf region remains major concern for both gas suppliers and consumers," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X, referring to recent discussions at the Gas Exporting Countries Forum summit in Moscow.”
- SupportedThe source reports no clear winner had emerged between Netanyahu's bloc and an opposition camp led by Eisenkot as votes were counted.RTÉ News: “As the votes were counted in the election, no clear winner had emerged between Mr Netanyahu's bloc and an opposition camp led by Mr Eisenkot.”
- SupportedIran's military warned it would retaliate more widely against a new attack, and Rezaei said Iran could target US-related infrastructure including data centres and AI targets.RTÉ News: “Iran's military meanwhile has warned it would retaliate more widely against any new attack, with security chief Mohsen Rezaei saying it could strike US-related infrastructure including data centres and other artificial intelligence targets.”