US weighs new Iran strikes as Vance reaches out: Is war or a deal closer?

Over the past week, Washington and Tehran have sent mixed signals about whether their eight-month war is heading back to full-scale strikes or towards a peace deal. On Thursday, the head of United States Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, briefed US President Donald Trump on options for renewed attacks on Iran, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. The US and Israel have drawn up joint plans to attack Iran after the November 3 US midterm elections, The New York Times (NYT) reported last week. Yet on the same day, The Washington Post reported that Vice President JD Vance had offered to meet Mohsen Rezaei , the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in person to negotiate an end to the war.