JD Vance Reaches Out To Iran Hardliner As Trump Weighs Fresh Strikes

US Vice-President JD Vance has reportedly reached out to senior Iranian hardliner Mohsen Rezaei as President Donald Trump weighs the possibility of resuming military action against Iran after next week’s US midterm elections, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

Vance sent a letter to Rezaei at Trump’s direction, the report said. Rezaei is a senior figure in Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The outreach appears aimed at exploring whether Washington and Tehran can establish a framework for negotiations that could persuade Trump to hold back from authorising a short, intense military attack in the coming weeks. However, the exchanges have reportedly not included specific terms for a peace proposal.

Trump, Rezaei Remain Publicly Resistant To Talks

According to a person familiar with the matter cited by the WSJ, the exchanges between US and Iranian officials have focused on establishing a possible framework for negotiations rather than discussing a detailed agreement.

Both Trump and Rezaei have publicly expressed little interest in negotiations. Last week, Trump said his administration was not talking to Iran and hinted that further military action could follow.

“We’re not negotiating with them, we are going to have something one way or another, it’ll happen soon,” Trump said.

Rezaei has also said Iran would not enter talks with Washington unless its key demands were met first, underlining the challenges facing diplomatic efforts to ease tensions.

Why Vance’s Outreach Comes Before Midterms

The reported contact comes as Republicans face the possibility of losing seats in the House of Representatives and Senate in the November 3 midterm elections. The conflict with Iran and rising fuel prices have added to voter frustration with Trump and his party.

A spokesman for Vance declined to comment on the reported talks, while the White House referred questions to the vice-president’s team. Iran’s foreign ministry said it had no information about the outreach, and Rezaei and the Supreme National Security Council could not be reached for comment, the WSJ reported.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, indicated that Tehran remained open to diplomacy despite the threat of further military action.

“While our Brave Armed Forces are fully prepared to defend the Homeland, Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed,” Araghchi said.

Vance’s Earlier Push For Diplomacy

Although Vance has publicly supported the war against Iran, he has privately expressed concerns about prolonging the conflict, according to the report. Before Trump launched “Operation Epic Fury” in February, Vance had pushed for stronger diplomatic efforts.

He was subsequently appointed lead negotiator and travelled abroad twice to meet Iranian officials in an attempt to reach a final agreement.

Rezaei, who led Iran’s Revolutionary Guard during the 1980s war with Iraq, has emerged as an influential hardliner amid growing US threats. Earlier this month, he warned that Iran could target the United Arab Emirates, as well as data centres and internet cables across the region.

Iran’s Regional Diplomacy

On Sunday, Rezaei held a rare meeting in Tehran with security chiefs from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, according to the WSJ. The meeting came as regional countries sought to reduce tensions.

The involvement of senior security officials marked a departure from previous visits, which more commonly involved diplomats, the report said.

Vance’s reported outreach comes amid uncertainty over whether diplomatic contacts can prevent renewed US military action. While the exchanges have yet to produce a detailed peace proposal, they indicate that efforts to establish a negotiating framework are continuing alongside public warnings from both sides.