Vance letter to Iran seeks a return to talks
US Vice President JD Vance has written to Iran's security chief to try to restart talks, US media report, as Washington weighs new strikes after the midterms.
Developing story. Details may change as more information is confirmed.
US Vice President JD Vance has sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, in an effort to restart negotiations, according to several US media reports. The letter was reportedly passed on by Qatari mediators.
According to those reports, Vance proposed direct talks soon, possibly with himself leading the US side, and said Iran's nuclear program would have to be discussed from the start. Iran has not publicly responded, though its foreign minister said Tehran is still giving diplomacy a chance.
President Donald Trump confirmed he had approved Vance's outreach, but described it as mainly about helping Iran get medical supplies. Reports also say Trump has told Gulf allies to prepare for a possible short, intense US military campaign after next week's midterm elections.
Regional mediators led by Qatar are separately urging Iran to let UN nuclear inspectors into bombed sites in exchange for some sanctions relief, according to reports.
Meanwhile, Pentagon figures reported this week put the cost of the US military campaign against Iran at about $47 billion so far, higher than earlier estimates.
This is a developing story.
This summary is original reporting by tehworldnews, written after checking the facts against several major international news outlets and official statements.