JD Vance considering direct talks with Iran: report

US Vice President JD Vance is considering face-to-face talks with Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and a prominent hard-liner, as part of efforts to end the ongoing war, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing unnamed US and Middle Eastern officials.

Discussions about a direct meeting remain preliminary, with no date set, the report says.

Vance, who has emerged as the lead US negotiator on Iran, sent a letter to Rezaei in October proposing direct negotiations and outlining a potential framework.

The sides have continued communicating through mediators, and Doha is viewed as a possible venue if talks advance.

President Donald Trump has recently told top aides and foreign counterparts that he is open to Vance restarting contacts with Tehran and has empowered him to lead the negotiations, officials said.

The outreach comes amid a conflict that began in February and has been described as a political liability for Republicans following midterm election setbacks.

Rezaei, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander who assumed his current role in August, has previously described negotiations as “imaginary talks” and indicated Iran would not remove enriched material.

He confirmed receiving Vance’s letter but had not formally replied as of late October.

Iranian officials have insisted on practical steps, such as lifting the naval blockade, releasing frozen assets, and easing oil sanctions, before resuming talks—demands US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called “totally unrealistic.”

Vance has taken a more active role on the Iran file than special envoys focused on other conflicts.

He met Qatar’s prime minister, a key mediator, earlier this week.

Earlier in the year, he participated in talks in Switzerland and met Iranian parliamentary figures.

Some US officials have noted that becoming the public face of Iran diplomacy carries political risks for the vice president.

The war has centered on issues including Iran’s nuclear program, shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, and broader regional tensions.

Mediators from Qatar, Pakistan, and other countries have facilitated indirect contacts.

Trump has expressed hope for a deal while noting continued military deployments in the region, and administration debate continues over pursuing diplomacy versus maintaining pressure through blockades and sanctions.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has separately discussed implementation of plans to end hostilities and reopen the Strait with mediators.