Trump denies directing Vance to restart Iran talks, but acknowledges mediator negotiations

Donald Trump denied on 28 October that he had directed Vice-President JD Vance to restart peace negotiations with Iran, saying Vance’s contact concerned medical supplies. But Trump told Axios the same day that negotiations with Iran were taking place through mediators. His denial was about Vance’s reported mission, not a denial of all US-Iran talks.

The Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials and people familiar with the matter, that Vance had sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in an effort to revive peace talks. It said Vance acted at Trump’s direction. Axios separately cited a US official who said the letter stated that any negotiations to avert US strikes would have to address Iran’s nuclear programme.

Asked about Vance, Trump said Iran needed medical supplies and that the vice-president had sought his opinion. Trump said he had told Vance he could go ahead, describing the effort as getting supplies to people who were unwell. The precise contents of the reported letter remain unclear; medical assistance and a discussion of negotiations would not necessarily be mutually exclusive.

Trump told Axios he did not know whether the talks through mediators would succeed. Axios says Washington wants nuclear discussions before sanctions relief, while Iran wants the US to lift its naval blockade, release frozen funds and allow oil sales first. The timing of any sanctions relief was disputed in earlier exchanges too. Whether Vance’s reported letter was intended to advance negotiations, offer medical help or both remains unresolved.