Iran weighs Vance letter amid renewed Doha peace push

Iran is weighing its response to a letter from US Vice President JD Vance amid renewed efforts to resolve the eight-month war through Doha peace talks. Iranian negotiators are currently in Doha, holding discussions with Qatari mediators, according to an official familiar with the negotiations. Qatari mediators have been in frequent contact with US negotiators over the past two days, following extensive talks in Tehran on Friday.

Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei stated that he received and studied the letter but has not yet responded, describing a significant shift in Washington's tone towards Tehran as a positive development. However, he declined to disclose further details due to the unpublicized nature of the correspondence. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also welcomed the American outreach as constructive but ruled out an imminent meeting with US officials, dismissing reports of imminent contact as media speculation.

Tehran remains firm on its seven-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which was effectively blocked by attacks and mines following the conflict's onset in February. Iran's conditions for reopening the strait include an end to hostilities, lifting restrictions on Iranian ports, and the release of frozen Iranian assets. The US, on the other hand, has not ruled out the possibility of renewed military action, keeping the door open for diplomatic efforts.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that President Trump had not set a deadline for diplomatic talks and had not made a decision on further strikes, emphasizing that any agreement must address Washington's core security concerns.