US VP Vance contacted top Iran security official: Report

Tehran has left a message from U.S. Vice President JD Vance unanswered, according to a senior Iranian security source speaking on Thursday. The source told Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency that Vance sent a communication to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, but that the Iranian government had not yet replied. The official dismissed media speculation regarding the specific content of the message, stating that circulating reports were inaccurate. The source noted that such correspondence between American and Iranian officials is not unusual, pointing to previous exchanges that occurred during the tenure of former U.S. President Barack Obama. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that Vance sent a letter to Rezaei with the aim of reviving peace negotiations. Citing American officials and individuals familiar with the matter, the newspaper stated the letter was sent at the direction of President Donald Trump as Washington explored whether a diplomatic framework could prevent renewed U.S. military strikes against Iran. However, Trump denied directing Vance to initiate negotiations. When asked directly, the U.S. president said the communication concerned Iran’s need for medical supplies. "No, what it is, is that they need help with medical supplies and various things," Trump said. A separate report by Axios indicated that Vance emphasized in the letter that any negotiations aimed at preventing renewed U.S. military strikes would have to address Iran’s nuclear program. A U.S. official told Axios that Vance proposed sending the letter and that Trump welcomed the initiative, though the official did not specify when it was delivered. This diplomatic outreach occurs amidst heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran regarding the implementation of a June memorandum of understanding and navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began on February 28, expanding into a regional conflict that remains unresolved despite a ceasefire established on April 8. That ceasefire ended the most intense fighting, although sporadic exchanges of fire continued in and around the strategic strait, a critical route for global energy supplies. Those military flare-ups have subsided in recent weeks. Iran has claimed control over the strait since the war began, regularly targeting vessels attempting to cross without its authorization. Washington and regional nations strongly oppose these moves, and the U.S. maintains a naval counterblockade on Iranian ports. In June, Iran and the U.S. agreed to a memorandum of understanding outlining a path to a permanent conflict settlement. The deal subsequently unraveled as each side accused the other of violations. Tehran has since called for a return to the accord to end the conflict. Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on October 25 that a potential resumption of war with Israel and the United States would not alter his country’s positions. Speaking during a televised event in Tehran, Araghchi said, "Recently, there has been talk of a new war, but I am already thinking about the post-war period. Whether there is war or not, our policies remain the same." He added that previous U.S. actions had produced known results, implying that new strikes would achieve no different outcome. Araghchi argued that the current war has fundamentally altered regional dynamics. "Shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz will no longer be the same, and the management of the strait will no longer be the same," he said. To achieve peace and stability, he insisted the region must move toward the complete absence of foreign forces. In September, Iran proposed a seven-day plan to end the Middle East war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, conveyed to the United States through Qatar. Under that plan, the strait would reopen within seven days if necessary conditions, including a ceasefire across the Middle East, were met. Iran has also demanded the unfreezing of its assets abroad, the lifting of sanctions on its oil sector, and an end to the U.S. naval blockade. Regional mediators led by Qatar are currently pushing for a diplomatic deal to restart U.S.-Iran talks and prevent the resumption of war. Araghchi posted on social media platform X that Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed while its armed forces remain prepared to defend the homeland. He stated that Iran remains in close contact with intermediaries to review ideas ensuring the implementation of the seven-day plan in less than a week. Key sticking points in efforts to relaunch negotiations include Iran’s demand that the U.S. first lift its naval blockade, release frozen funds, and allow oil sales. Conversely, the U.S. wants Iran to restart nuclear negotiations before receiving any sanctions relief. President Trump raised the prospect of new strikes or an agreement on October 24, telling reporters that Washington could launch fresh strikes as soon as the following day or reach an agreement. "We’re thinking about doing it, and maybe tomorrow," Trump said, though he announced no final decision or timetable. At a campaign rally in Georgia, Trump said he needed to stop killing Iranian leaders to establish who Washington was negotiating with, claiming successive levels of Iran’s leadership had been eliminated. He defended his 2018 withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement and asserted that U.S. operations in 2025 and the current year had destroyed Iran’s enrichment capacity. Trump also claimed oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz had increased from prewar levels, without providing specific figures. Military preparations continue in parallel with diplomatic signals. The Wall Street Journal reported on October 24 that two U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups are operating in the Middle East, a third is approaching from the Pacific, and an amphibious assault ship carrying Marines is being deployed. This buildup follows a memo from U.S. intelligence chief Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on October 23, warning that Iran had significantly increased efforts to target Americans. Washington has ordered diplomatic and military personnel to leave certain locations due to growing security concerns. Reports indicate the administration is weighing its options ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, with warnings that renewed strikes could trigger Iranian retaliation, increase risks to U.S. forces, and push global energy prices higher. The Wall Street Journal also reported that Washington told several Gulf Arab countries to prepare for a possible short, intense military campaign against Iran after the midterms.