US President Donald Trump acknowledged that Vice President JD Vance had been in contact with Iranian officials, but played down the significance of the move.
Trump said the contact between Vance and Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was intended to offer medical supplies to the country, not to revive negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
The Wall Street Journal had earlier reported that Vance sent a message to Rezaei in an effort to revive peace talks, amid Trump’s threats to launch a new round of strikes against Tehran following the midterm elections scheduled for November 3.
Speaking to reporters, Trump was asked whether he had instructed Vance to resume peace negotiations. He denied doing so but acknowledged that he had authorized his vice president to contact Tehran.
They need help with medical supplies and other things, Trump told reporters. He asked me what I thought, and I said, if you want to do that, that’s fine.
It’s simply about getting supplies to help people who are in poor health, he added.
Sources cited by the Wall Street Journal said Vance sent the message to Rezaei at Trump’s direction, with the president aware of the move. The aim was to explore whether Washington and Tehran could find enough common ground to persuade Trump not to issue a final order for a swift, intense attack on Iran in the coming weeks.
Some US officials believe that dialogue with strict Iranian could yield better diplomatic results, according to the newspaper.
Last week, Trump said his administration was not holding talks with Iran, while hinting that strikes could be imminent. We’re not negotiating with them, but something is going to happen one way or another, and it’s going to happen soon, he said.
Trump said the contact between Vance and Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was intended to offer medical supplies to the country, not to revive negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
The Wall Street Journal had earlier reported that Vance sent a message to Rezaei in an effort to revive peace talks, amid Trump’s threats to launch a new round of strikes against Tehran following the midterm elections scheduled for November 3.
Speaking to reporters, Trump was asked whether he had instructed Vance to resume peace negotiations. He denied doing so but acknowledged that he had authorized his vice president to contact Tehran.
They need help with medical supplies and other things, Trump told reporters. He asked me what I thought, and I said, if you want to do that, that’s fine.
It’s simply about getting supplies to help people who are in poor health, he added.
Sources cited by the Wall Street Journal said Vance sent the message to Rezaei at Trump’s direction, with the president aware of the move. The aim was to explore whether Washington and Tehran could find enough common ground to persuade Trump not to issue a final order for a swift, intense attack on Iran in the coming weeks.
Some US officials believe that dialogue with strict Iranian could yield better diplomatic results, according to the newspaper.
Last week, Trump said his administration was not holding talks with Iran, while hinting that strikes could be imminent. We’re not negotiating with them, but something is going to happen one way or another, and it’s going to happen soon, he said.
