Vice President JD Vance sent a letter to Iran's top security official to try to revive peace talks, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. The Washington Examiner and The Independent carried the report, crediting the Journal. The letter went to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

President Trump denied that he directed Vance to start peace talks. Asked about the letter on his way to a rally in Ohio, he said "No." He then said, "He asked me what I thought. I said, if you want to do that, that's OK. Basically, it's getting supplies in to help people that are not well."

The Independent writes that, per the Journal, Vance used the letter to test whether the two sides had enough common ground to steer Trump away from new strikes. The Washington Examiner notes Vance has said his role in the White House includes questioning the case for the war.

The outreach comes as Trump weighs new attacks. He has said new strikes are an option after the November 3 midterm elections. The Independent reports, citing the Associated Press, that US officials warned regional allies to prepare for possible renewed action.

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said Wednesday that Tehran "continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed." CBS News reports Iran rejected a new draft from Qatari mediators as "unacceptable" ideas, citing Reuters.

The war began with US and Israeli strikes in February and has stalled since a June interim deal fell apart. The US has not struck Iran since early September, The Independent reports. Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz has shaken energy markets.

What we know: The Journal reported a Vance letter to Iran's Rezaei, and Trump denied ordering a peace push while calling it a supply effort.
What we don't: What the letter says, and whether Iran has answered it.