There are signs that diplomatic efforts to end the current war between the United States and Iran are ramping up, with the United States’ President, Donald Trump, granting Vice President JD Vance permission to engage in diplomacy with Iran.
Trump has told his advisers and allies that Vance is authorised to engage in negotiations with Iranian officials, The Wall Street Journal reports. Washington is also mulling an in-person meeting between US vice president and Iranian leaders.
The US officials indicated that talks with Iranian representatives about sending Vance to the country are still in early stages. Discussions are underway on possible arrangements and framework for such a meeting.
The development is being seen as an important diplomatic initiative to defuse the situation and look for solutions to end the conflict. But a final decision is yet to be made on Vance’s visit to Iran, the date for the meeting and where it might be held for possible negotiations.
Mohsen Rezaei’s name pops up in potential negotiations
The Wall Street Journal report also referred to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, as a contender to be Iran’s representative for in-person talks with Vance. Rezaei has been regarded as an ultra-conservative leader of the Iranian regime.
The report says that Vance was writing to Rezaei in October demanding a meeting and negotiations. The communication was meant to spark the discussion of the possibility of resuming diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran.
Vance may be expected to have direct talks with Iranian officials on a variety of matters including the end of the war. But information on the proposed talks, such as what’s on the agenda and possible conditions, has yet to be made public.
The Trump administration’s actions are still in the “consultative” phase, and Washington is weighing whether to establish a direct diplomatic dialogue with Tehran.
