Tehran Holds Vance Letter as US Floats Istanbul or Doha Talks
Iran has confirmed through the Tasnim news agency that it received JD Vance’s letter to its security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, but has not yet replied. Tasnim says Tehran still insists its seven conditions be met. The Washington Post reports that Vance has offered to meet Rezaei, with Istanbul or Doha the likeliest venues.
According to the Post, Vance told Rezaei that Washington’s central interest is ensuring Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. He said Tehran’s interests were rebuilding its economy and preserving its sovereignty. US intelligence believes Rezaei, a former Revolutionary Guard commander, is in regular contact with Mojtaba Khamenei. The White House sees him as the only figure who could build consensus behind a deal. Iranian leaders reportedly took the letter as a sign of respect, but there is no sign they have softened on the nuclear issue. Abbas Araghchi says Iran “continues to give diplomacy a chance”, and the White House fears that the window for a settlement may be closing.