Iran has studied letter from Vance; has no plans to meet US officials

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Iran currently has no plans to meet with US officials, while confirming that a letter from US Vice President JD Vance, delivered to Iran’s top security official, has been reviewed at high-level meetings.

Araghchi told Al Jazeera on Saturday that Iran has no current plans to hold meetings with American officials, dismissing media speculation about a diplomatic encounter as “mere media guesswork.”

The top diplomat acknowledged that the US side’s effort to open a broader space for dialogue was a “positive step,” but cautioned that if Washington’s goal in sending the message was to stir up discord, “it would be yet another mistake to add to its previous ones.”

Vance’s letter was handed to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, through Qatari mediators on Sunday. The contents of the letter have not been made public, but multiple US media outlets have reported that it proposed a “framework” for direct negotiations.

The New York Times reported that Vance proposed a meeting between US and Iranian officials in the near future, with Vance leading the US delegation, and insisted that Iran’s nuclear program would have to be on the table from the outset, something Tehran has rejected in the past.

Possible venues mentioned included Qatar or Turkey.

Araghchi said Tehran sees no need for a meeting with the US side at present, insisting that Iran’s conditions are clear. He added that mediators continue their consultations on those conditions.

He made clear that a decision on whether any talks with the US would be direct or indirect would be made only after Washington agrees to Tehran’s terms.

The foreign minister also said an Iranian delegation had traveled to Doha, with his deputy staying in Qatar to continue with consultations.

He thanked Qatar and Pakistan for their sustained efforts and contacts, and said the mediators had put forward proposals on the nuclear issue that Tehran is examining.

Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is the only plan currently on the table, Araghchi said.

The outreach to Iran came amid threats by US President Donald Trump that Washington was considering a short but intense military strike on Iran following the US midterm elections to be held on Tuesday, and Tehran’s threat of a massive and unrestricted response.

Trump himself offered a different characterization when asked about the letter sent by his vice president, alleging to reporters that its purpose related to “medical supplies” for Iran, rather than negotiations.