Trump Reportedly Authorises Vance to Resume Iran Talks

US President Donald Trump has reportedly authorised Vice President JD Vance to resume diplomatic talks with Iran, possibly including direct talks with Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, according to the Wall Street Journal. Rezaei says no talks are currently under way.

Vance as Lead Negotiator

Vance has replaced envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as lead negotiator. No date has been set for a face-to-face meeting, and Vance had sent Rezaei a meeting request in October. The sides are communicating through unnamed mediators and regional allies.

Iran’s Position

Rezaei said, “We are not conducting any talks with the Americans at the present time.” He said Iran has no plans to meet Vance, and that Iran will keep its enriched nuclear material, which it says is for nuclear-powered ships and submarines. He warned that Iran would strike nearby and distant US bases if attacked. He said the US must accept all seven of Iran’s core demands, including lifting sanctions and the naval blockade, paying reparations and withdrawing Israeli forces from Lebanon. Ending the war on all fronts, especially in Lebanon, is the first priority, he said.

Trump’s Remarks

Trump, speaking at Arlington National Cemetery, said the US had fought back and won, and that it is a question of when to end the war. He said he wants “a total victory.”

Strait of Hormuz

According to Reuters, Iran reportedly attacked navigation systems on Oman’s Didamar island, and the Revolutionary Guards said they destroyed “enemy navigation systems.” The damage could not be verified, and shipping sources expect limited impact because alternative systems exist. Gulf exporters are using ship-to-ship transfers off Oman and the UAE, and the US military is helping commercial vessels transit the strait.