Vance writes to Iran's security chief to try to restart peace talks

US Vice President JD Vance has reportedly sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, in an effort to restart peace negotiations, according to US media reports cited by The Independent and Al Jazeera.

The letter came days after President Donald Trump threatened Tehran with a new campaign of strikes in a Fox News interview on Sunday. The US has not struck Iran since early September.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Vance used the letter to test whether the two countries could find enough common ground to persuade Trump not to order more strikes. A source told the Journal the letter and follow-up discussions did not cover specific peace terms but a possible framework for talks. The New York Times reported that Qatari mediators passed the letter to Rezaei on Sunday and that it proposed an early meeting with Vance leading a US delegation.

According to US and Iranian officials quoted by the media, Vance called for direct talks and said Iran's nuclear programme must be on the table from the start. If Iran agrees, talks could take place as soon as next week, with Qatar or Turkiye named as possible venues. Iran has not publicly commented on the letter, though it has reportedly been received well. The Times said Rezaei is expected to reply on Thursday.

The Journal said one source claimed Trump asked for the letter. Trump denied that on Wednesday. Asked whether he had requested it, he said: "No." He added: "He asked me what I thought. I said, if you want to do that, that's okay. Basically, it's getting supplies in to help people that are not well."

Two diplomats told the Associated Press that US officials have told Middle East countries and regional allies to prepare for possible renewed military action against Iran after the US midterm elections on 3 November. The diplomats said Trump has not made a final decision. Trump said: "Do I make a deal with them, or do I finish them off? That's the only question."

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on X on Wednesday that Tehran continues to give diplomacy a chance and is working with mediators on ideas from a proposal floated last month, which Trump rejected, according to The Independent. Tehran has warned that it would respond more aggressively to any new US-Israeli attacks, including by hitting oil sites, undersea cables, data centres and AI facilities in the Gulf, Al Jazeera reported.

The conflict began with US-Israeli attacks in February and has been at an impasse since a June interim agreement collapsed. Iran-backed Houthi rebels have attacked Saudi oil infrastructure and airports, and a Saudi-led coalition has struck Houthi-held areas in Yemen.