Vance Prepares for Direct Iran Talks as Trump Questions Previous Deal
US Vice President JD Vance is moving ahead with direct diplomatic efforts with Iran, while President Donald Trump privately criticizes a memorandum of understanding signed in June as a strategic error.
By Vanessa Lopez ·
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, US Vice President JD Vance is considering holding direct talks with a senior Iranian security official. The information comes from unnamed US and Middle East officials who briefed the outlet on the current diplomatic posture.
Vance has assumed a leading role in US diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement with Iran. In this capacity, he has effectively eclipsed White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in the negotiation process.
Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary-general of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, stated earlier on November 11 that there are currently no plans to meet with Vance. Despite this public stance, the US side appears to be actively preparing for potential direct communication.
President Donald Trump has been privately critical of the memorandum of understanding with Iran that was negotiated in June. Two US officials indicated that Trump views the agreement as a mistake, arguing that it allowed Iran to recover economically and generate significant oil revenues.
Other senior US officials hold a different view on the strategy. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller support maintaining the current blockade on Iran. They believe the pressure should continue until Iran concedes to US demands, according to two officials familiar with the discussions.
In a separate development, the United Nations Security Council is preparing to hold an emergency meeting next week. The session will focus on Israeli plans to construct housing in the E1 area of the West Bank, located east of Jerusalem.
A group of European countries, led by Denmark, is driving this initiative. The goal is to forestall Israel’s tender process for the construction of 1,234 housing units. The Israel Land Authority has set a deadline of November 19 for opening tender bids.
Israel is coordinating with its close allies on the Security Council, specifically the US and Greece, in an effort to torpedo the proposed meeting. Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon described the European move as a moral disgrace, stating that Israel’s right to build is indisputable.
Danon argued that while the Middle East faces threats from Iran’s regime, European nations are convening the council solely because of construction in Israel. He added that Israel will not accept dictates from countries that ignore real terrorism.
The E1 project involves building thousands of units as an extension of the Ma’ale Adumim settlement. This construction would occur between the western boundaries of Ma’ale Adumim and East Jerusalem, potentially cutting off territorial contiguity between key Palestinian population centers such as Ramallah and Bethlehem.
