US eyes indirect Vance-Ghalibaf talks via Turkey to open Tehran channel

The United States has floated direct talks between Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, to be conducted through intermediaries including Turkey, as part of efforts to establish a diplomatic channel with Tehran amid the war. A potential Islamabad meeting between senior US and Iranian officials is also being explored with Pakistan’s backing, though Iran has not yet responded. Turkey is pushing for a temporary ceasefire to enable diplomacy, while broader regional dynamics and Israel’s stance complicate any progress.