Play store
US President Donald Trump said Vice President JD Vance’s recent outreach to Iran was aimed at helping the country obtain medical supplies, denying that he had directed Vance to revive peace negotiations.
Iran has received a letter from Vance, but has yet to respond, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday.
The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times reported that Vance had written to Iranian Security Council chief Mohsen Rezaei to explore restarting peace talks, citing US officials and people familiar with the matter.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Vance sent the letter at Trump’s direction. However, Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he had not instructed Vance to restart negotiations, although he had approved the outreach.
“They need help with medical supplies and various things,” Trump said, adding that Vance had sought his opinion before proceeding.
The White House, Vance’s office and Iran’s mission to the United Nations had not immediately commented on the letter.
The outreach comes amid the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran, which began in late February, and Washington’s naval blockade and broader economic pressure on Tehran.
Iran has repeatedly accused US sanctions of restricting civilians’ access to medicines and other essential goods.
Meanwhile, Qatari mediators have presented Iran with a new draft proposal to end the conflict.
However, a senior Iranian official described the ideas as unacceptable, leaving the prospects for a diplomatic breakthrough uncertain.
The conflict has also driven up global energy costs, adding to economic and political pressure on the Trump administration ahead of the US midterm elections.
