US Vice President JD Vance has reportedly contacted Iran’s security chief in an effort to revive peace talks and avert a possible resumption of American military strikes, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

The newspaper reported that Vance sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, identified in the report as head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. One source cited by the newspaper said US President Donald Trump had directed the move.

The letter and subsequent discussions between US and Iranian officials focused on a possible framework for negotiations rather than the details of a peace proposal, the report said.

Asked whether he had instructed Vance to contact Iran, Trump denied directing the outreach. He said Iran needed medical supplies and other assistance.

“He asked me what I thought. I said, if you want to do that, that’s okay. Basically, it’s getting supplies in to help people that are not well,” Trump said.

Iran Says It Intercepted US Drone Near Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it intercepted a US MQ-1 drone using its air defence system east of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s Press TV on Thursday.

The reported interception came as diplomatic efforts continued to address the conflict between Washington and Tehran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that Tehran remained in close contact with intermediaries to assess proposals aimed at implementing Iran’s seven-day peace plan.

“While our brave armed forces are fully prepared to defend the homeland, Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed. We remain in close and ongoing contact with intermediaries to review ideas that can ensure implementation of our seven-day plan in even less than a week,” Araghchi wrote in a post on X.

Fire Reported on Vessel in Strait of Hormuz

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported a fire aboard a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, around nine nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman, on Thursday.

According to UKMTO, the master of a third-party vessel reported seeing another vessel on fire.

The crew’s condition remained unknown at the time of the report. Authorities had not provided an assessment of damage or the potential environmental impact.

UKMTO advised vessels to navigate the area cautiously and report suspicious activity while authorities investigate the incident.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key shipping route for global energy and commodity supplies. The reported fire comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States over maritime navigation in the region.

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Qatar-Led Mediation Seeks to Prevent Renewed Strikes

Regional mediators led by Qatar are working to restart US-Iran negotiations to prevent a renewed outbreak of fighting, the news outlet Axios reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, which cited US, Israeli and regional sources, mediators are urging Tehran to permit United Nations inspectors to visit bombed nuclear sites in exchange for some relief from US sanctions.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye are reportedly supporting the diplomatic effort.

Trump told Axios that negotiations with Iran were taking place through intermediaries but expressed uncertainty about whether they would succeed.

“We need to finish the job — either through a deal or another way — we will find out if negotiations can succeed,” he said.

The diplomatic activity comes as Trump has repeatedly threatened large-scale strikes against Iran. Whether the reported contacts and mediation efforts will lead to a formal agreement remains unclear.