"U.S. Vice President Sends Letter to Iranian Hardliner to Resume Talks at Trump's Direction"

[Financial News] The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 28th (local time) that U.S. Vice President JD Vance had, at President Donald Trump's direction, tried to make contact with a hard-line Iranian security chief to resume negotiations.
Trump has signaled that he could launch a massive attack on Iran after the midterm elections next week, raising questions about whether this contact will lead to a resumption of negotiations.
Citing U.S. officials and other sources, WSJ reported that Vice President Vance sent a letter seeking to resume negotiations to Mohsen Rezaee, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), who is considered a hardliner in Iran, and that the letter was sent at Trump's direction.
Trump, who has repeatedly sent public messages that airstrikes on Iran could resume before long, is once again exploring whether a deal with Iran is possible. He has repeatedly made remarks along the lines of, “It's time to decide whether to make a deal or finish it off.”
WSJ reported that Vance's letter did not contain a concrete peace plan and focused mainly on establishing a framework for negotiations.
Vance's outreach may have been intended to manage the situation until the fast-approaching midterm elections, but it is drawing attention because, depending on the outcome, Trump could take an attack on Iran off the table.
WSJ noted that if Rezaee takes center stage, figures such as parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who has led Iran's negotiating delegation, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi could be sidelined in talks with the United States.
On the 26th, Rezaee met with senior security officials from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye who had traveled to Tehran, Iran's capital. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca last August.
WSJ described Rezaee's meeting with security officials from those countries as an unusual move, noting that previous visits had generally been made by diplomats. The report suggested that the move could signal an effort by Rezaee to strengthen his role in addressing current issues.
On the 21st, Rezaee drew a line, saying, “Not a single handful of enriched nuclear material will leave Iran,” and that negotiations with the United States would be possible only if Iran's demands were met.
Trump's position is that there will be no further escalation before the midterms, amid concerns that it could further stoke already-high oil prices. This has raised concerns that after the midterms, Trump could launch a massive, short-term attack on Iran in an effort to force a change in its stance.

[email protected] Lee Seok-woo, International Affairs Correspondent Reporter