Trump Denies Directing Vance to Negotiate With Iran

President Donald Trump has denied that he directed Vice President JD Vance to open peace negotiations with Iran. The Wall Street Journal had reported that Vance wrote to Iranian hard-liner Mohsen Rezaei on the president's instructions. The question of US contact with Tehran comes as American and Israeli military officials have drawn up plans for a new round of attacks on Iran. The New York Times reported last week that those attacks could begin after the November 3 midterm elections.

Asked about the outreach by a reporter, Trump turned to Iran's need for medical aid. "It's getting supplies in to help people that are not well," Trump said.

The Journal reported that Vance's letter to Rezaei was meant to revive peace talks. US officials familiar with the matter said Trump had ordered the contact. Its purpose was to test whether Washington and Tehran agree on enough to keep Trump from approving a brief but intense strike on Iran within weeks.

The exchanges focused on building a framework for negotiations. They did not deal with the terms of any possible agreement.

Rezaei commanded the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from 1981 to 1997.

Vance has publicly backed military action against Iran. Behind closed doors, however, he has expressed doubts about dragging out the conflict, the Journal reported.

Trump has indicated that hostilities could resume once the midterms are over. On Sunday, the president said he was weighing a deal with Iran against a final blow.

On the diplomatic track, Saudi outlet Al Arabiya reported on Wednesday that Iran wants to shorten a framework agreement's timeframe from seven days to four. Mediators are consulting Tehran about a meeting in Turkey before November 4. Its agenda would reportedly include the Iranian nuclear issue and bringing in inspectors.