Vance Sends Letter To Iranian "Hardliner" Mohsen Rezaei In Bid To Reset Talks
Update(1633ET): We return to the Western MSM Iranian "hardliners" schtick and its usage in headlines, with oil prices declining on the following Wednesday afternoon story from The Wall Street Journal:
Vice President JD Vance is engaging one of Iran’s most powerful hard-liners to revive peace negotiations even as President Trump threatens to restart the war after next week’s midterm elections, U.S. officials and people familiar with the matter said.
This smacks of desperation on the part of the White House, now seven months into the supposedly swift and decisive "little excursion" where so much "winning" is taking place. According to more from WSJ:
Vance sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran’s top security body, the Supreme National Security Council, and previously Iran’s longest-serving commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to the people.
The letter was sent at Trump’s direction, one person said, and Trump is aware of the outreach. Vance is testing whether Tehran and Washington could find enough common ground to persuade Trump not to give a final order for a short, intense attack on Iran in the coming weeks.
More on the "Hardliners!"... "Some U.S. officials say talking to Iranian hard-liners, who have amassed power in Tehran since the U.S. and Israel killed regime leaders at the war’s outset, might yield a better diplomatic result," WSJ continues.
But Tehran leaders, whether 'hardliner' or not, have not appeared to back off demands that the US conform to its seven conditions. They also refuse to take up the nuclear file until the war is resolved.
This is coupled with various widespread reports that the US has put Gulf allies on notice that an intense and brief renewal of the war could return after the November midterm elections. Of course, the administration is not articulating "ok what comes next?" after another major round of bombing.
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Update(0945ET): That was fast. Within a couple hours of an earlier Reuters report saying Qatar had presented Iran with a new US draft deal to end the war, Tehran has issued a fresh denial:
Iran has rejected a proposal from Qatar to end the US-led war on the country, calling it "unacceptable". Qatar presented the draft deal, which would look to end the eight-month conflict, to Iranian negotiators on Sunday.
However, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday that his country could not work with what had been presented, adding that Tehran would show no flexibility regarding the nuclear issue.
The big sticking point indeed centers on the nuclear file. For Iran this is a non-starter, while Washington is demanding negotiations open based on Iran giving up its highly enriched uranium.
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There are emerging Wednesday reports that in the last days Qatari mediators presented Iran with a new draft deal to end the war, even as the Islamic Republic faces threats of a new major US attack, likely to take place after the midterm elections in early November.
An official privy to the diplomatic interaction said that Tehran is considering the draft deal and is expected to send a response to by the end of the week, according to Reuters. "The new draft being considered by Iran sets a seven-day timeline addressing both Tehran's and Washington's concerns, laying out daily confidence-building steps that each side must take, the official said," writes Reuters.
But within several hours after the Reuters report was issued, a senior Iranian official has been cited in international reports as saying Qatar has actually not presented a new proposal to end the conflict.
Tehran's stance on not wavering on the nuclear issue also remains unchanged. Washington wants the nuclear file to be central to negotiations to end the war, while Iranian leaders say its nuclear program cannot be negotiated until after hostilities end.
Tuesday saw Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Moscow, where he met with Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, PressTV has reported. The Moscow meeting took place on the sidelines of the 8th Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit.
As for any alleged new US 'draft deal' offer, Iran is unlikely to be in the mood for compromise so long as it remains under threat of imminent US attack. President Trump has over the least week been talking about joining up with Israel to "finish the job" against Iran.
Also there's new reporting in The Wall Street Journal which warns of preparations for a short and intense new military campaign against Iran to be launched soon after the midterm vote in the US.
"The U.S. has told several Gulf Arab countries to be prepared for a short, intense military campaign after the U.S. midterm elections, people briefed on the conversations said," WSJ writes Wednesday.
"The communications through diplomatic and military channels are among a growing number of indications that the U.S. and Israel are readying to launch a new round of heavy combat operations against Iran, risking a major escalation in hopes of degrading Tehran’s strength and pushing it toward negotiations," it continues.
And this has apparently included more costly and dwindling defenses and munitions for Israel: "The U.S. military is sending an additional Patriot system to Israel from Texas to beef up its missile defenses in the country, according to flight tracking data and two officials with knowledge of the movement," the same report reveals.
Preparations have also reportedly included moving American troops back from bases that are in or near the Gulf, putting them out of harms way in anticipation of Iran's retaliation.
More Latest Developments
via Newsquawk...
- Qatari mediators reportedly presented Iran with a new draft agreement on Sunday aimed at ending the conflict with the US and Israel, with Tehran expected to respond by the end of the week. The proposal outlines a seven-day timeline of daily confidence-building measures addressing both sides' concerns, potentially beginning early next week, with several countries acting as guarantors, according to Reuters citing an official briefed on the negotiations.
- However, according to Reuters citing a senior Iranian official, Qatar has not presented a new proposal to end hostilities between Iran and the US and that Tehran's policy of showing no flexibility over the nuclear issue remains unchanged.
- US President Trump replied anything is possible when asked if there will be strikes against Iran after the election.
- US told several Gulf Arab countries to be prepared for a short, intense military campaign after the US midterm elections, according to people briefed on the conversations cited by WSJ.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi said sustainable regional security requires collective responsibility, mutual respect for sovereignty and cooperation among regional countries without foreign military intervention. In later comments, Araghchi said the destructive consequences of any military adventurism provoked by Israel in the Persian Gulf region for international markets remain a serious concern for gas exporting and gas consuming countries.
- Iranian source denied a report of a Trump-backed plan being delivered via Pakistan's army chief, stating this was completely false and that no new proposal was presented to Iran. The source added that Tehran's conditions are clear, and without a convincing response and tangible implementation, the Strait of Hormuz won't reopen.
- Israeli PM Netanyahu and rival Eisenkot both claim a mandate to lead the country following Tuesday's inconclusive election. With 48.4% of votes counted, Netanyahu's bloc is projected to secure 55 seats, Eisenkot's bloc 50 seats and Arab parties 15 seats, according to Israeli media. Seat projections remain subject to change, with definitive results expected by Thursday.