Vance quietly leads push for new Iran deal with Witkoff and Kushner, Axios reports

Vice President JD Vance has spent about two weeks personally steering indirect talks with Iran aimed at a new ceasefire and a return to nuclear negotiations, with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner also involved, Axios reported. Vance has been in near-daily contact with Qatari and Pakistani mediators.

Vice President JD Vance has been quietly leading a diplomatic push for a new deal with Iran, speaking almost daily with mediators in an effort to secure a fresh ceasefire and restart nuclear negotiations, Axios reported, citing two sources with knowledge of the matter. White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser, are also taking part in the effort.

According to the report, Vance has been in near-daily contact for about two weeks with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and other intermediaries. The vice president and the mediators have discussed holding a working-level technical meeting between Washington and Tehran in the coming days, but no such meeting has taken place yet, Axios said.

A letter to Tehran

Two weeks ago, Vance sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, proposing a return to direct negotiations, according to the report. Iranian officials said the letter created positive momentum. The White House has not publicly confirmed the details of the outreach.

Trump also spoke on Friday with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who stressed the need to continue dialogue and avoid further escalation in the region, according to a statement from the emir's office.

After a midterm rebuke

The diplomatic effort comes days after Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections. Vance has said the Iran war was the main reason voters repudiated Republicans this week. Witkoff and Kushner have been Trump's lead negotiators with Iran throughout the conflict, and earlier this year worked out terms with Iranian counterparts on a memorandum to extend a ceasefire and open talks on Iran's nuclear program.

Photo: Anadolu Agency

Vance quietly leads push for new Iran deal with Witkoff and Kushner, Axios reports