Vance weighs direct Iran talks as Trump greenlights diplomacy

Vice President JD Vance is weighing face-to-face talks with Iran's National Security Council secretary, Mohsen Rezaei, as Washington hunts for an off-ramp to the war in the Middle East. The Wall Street Journal reported the deliberations, citing unnamed officials and people familiar with diplomatic contacts. The same sources said President Donald Trump is open to Vance's diplomatic push and has authorized him to negotiate — but stressed the talks are still preliminary.

The whispers of a channel come as the military track stays loud. US Central Command said Wednesday its forces are working around the clock to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping, while strictly enforcing what it called an ironclad naval blockade against Iran. CENTCOM added that it is coordinating with US interagency partners to stop the IRGC from moving advanced weapons, dual-use technology, sanctioned materials and illegal revenue through land routes and the Caspian Sea.

The blockade's land half is struggling. The New York Times reported Wednesday, citing Iraqi and US officials, that Iran's neighbors have been reluctant to fall in line. Washington spent weeks pressuring Turkey, Iraq and Pakistan to shut their border crossings and help with the land blockade, but those governments worried the decisions would hurt them. The US responded by forming Task Force Iron, according to the report.

Tehran is sending its own signals. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Wednesday that the US asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to speak with Iran about arranging direct negotiations. He offered no further detail, but repeated that Tehran would retaliate against another US attack, saying Trump will face another defeat if hostilities resume. Ghalibaf also said Washington must meet seven conditions before the Strait of Hormuz reopens and negotiations restart.

Trump, speaking at the National Veterans Day Ceremony in Arlington, said America did not start a war with Iran and accused Tehran of waging one against the US since 1979. He said Iran should have been dealt with long ago and that he wants total victory, not a 93% victory. He added that he hopes the US will not have to destroy any more of the country.