Mojtaba Khamenei aide's chilling '40 years' warning surfaces amid US push for Iran deal
Vice President JD Vance has reportedly contacted Iranian hard-liner Mohsen Rezaei to revive peace talks, despite Rezaei's previous warning that negotiations with Tehran could last 30 to 40 years while both sides remain prepared to fight.
Vice President JD Vance has reportedly sent a letter to Iran's top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, proposing renewed peace talks between the United States and Iran. The move comes amid escalating tensions between the two nations, with President Trump having previously warned Iran would 'pay the price' for taking too long to come to terms.
Rezaei, a former commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and current secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, serves as a key aide to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. He helped shape Tehran's military strategy during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, which ended after Iran's then-leader accepted a U.N.-brokered cease-fire he likened to drinking from a 'poisoned chalice.'
Decades-long warning
A resurfaced 2006 interview reveals Rezaei's chilling perspective on negotiations. When asked whether both sides would remain in their positions and begin talks, he replied: 'Yes. Negotiations can take 30 to 40 years and during that time Iran and Iraq should be prepared to fight.' He had previously stated, 'Ceasefire means an unfinished war.'
Negotiations can take 30 to 40 years and during that time Iran and Iraq should be prepared to fight.
Iran's defiant stance
Despite US outreach, Iran has not responded to Vance's letter, according to Iranian state media. The semi-official Tasnim News Agency stated Iran was awaiting U.S. compliance with its conditions, warning that 'any position that contradicts this framework is unacceptable.' Rezaei himself has maintained a defiant tone, writing on X that 'The war on Iran has already wrecked the US government' and 'Washington flails like a desperate gambler.'
Following the U.S. midterm elections, Rezaei claimed Iran had defeated Washington militarily and politically, warning of a 'devastating response' to another attack. He declared it was time for Washington to 'SURRENDER' to Iran's seven conditions, which have been repeatedly set out by Tehran.
Trump's position
President Trump has expressed mixed signals on the situation. In June, he warned Iran would 'pay the price' for delays, while more recently suggesting another U.S. strike could be about five times as large as the previous one. During a C-SPAN interview, he stated: 'I can tell you that Iran would like to make a deal, and we'll find out whether that'll happen.'
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