The New York Times said Vice President JD Vance offered to lead Iran talks as U.S. officials urged regional partners to prepare for possible military action after Nov. 3, the Associated Press reported.
Officials cited by The New York Times said Qatari mediators delivered Vance’s unpublished letter to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei on Oct. 25, and that Vance proposed leading a U.S. delegation. They said Vance proposed addressing Iran’s nuclear program from the outset; if Tehran agreed, talks might begin the following week in Qatar or Turkey.
The Wall Street Journal separately reported that the letter and follow-up exchanges tested whether a negotiating framework could find enough common ground to avert a short U.S. strike. The Journal said the exchanges did not set out specific peace terms.
The AP, citing two diplomats briefed on the warnings, reported that preparations covered possible Iranian retaliation as well as renewed U.S. action. The diplomats said President Donald Trump had made no final decision. The White House and U.S. officials declined to comment, the AP reported. The outlet also said a Pentagon estimate sent to Congress put the Iran war’s cost to U.S. taxpayers at $47.1 billion.
Trump said Oct. 28 that he approved Vance’s contact but had not directed him to restart peace talks. He described it as a request involving medical supplies and said, “If you want to do that, that’s OK.”
At an Oct. 26 Tehran meeting hosted by Rezaei, Iranian, Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish officials discussed regional peace and security. The AP reported that the four countries agreed to continue the discussions, without announcing a date or venue for another meeting. The AP also cited a June agreement brokered with Qatar and Pakistan that involved reopening the Strait of Hormuz and broader negotiations; attacks soon resumed and the deal unraveled.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Oct. 28 that Iran remained in contact with intermediaries and “continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed.” The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for restraint and political solutions.
The New York Times had reported that Rezaei was expected to reply by Oct. 29, but no public response had been confirmed through Oct. 30. The next major date cited in the reports is the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm election.
