Trump denies ordering Vance to reopen Iran talks

President Donald Trump denied a Wall Street Journal report that he instructed Vice President J.D. Vance to contact Iran to resume peace negotiations, saying the outreach concerned medical supplies to help sick people, RIA Novosti reported.

Why it matters: The denial closes, for now, a reported channel that markets had read as fresh diplomacy on Iran, with oil falling earlier in the day as traders parsed signs of renewed contact: on Trump's account there is no negotiation track, only a humanitarian supplies question.

Data as of Lenta.ru report of October 28, 2026, in Russian, reporting RIA Novosti and read in full in this run via the live browser: Trump's denial and his medical supplies explanation are RIA's reporting of his remarks. RIA is a Russian state news agency, the Wall Street Journal report being denied was not read in this run, and no United States official statement had confirmed the exchange at this update; Bloomberg's headline in the feed pool, reporting that Vance reached out to offer medical supplies, matches the medical supplies framing but its article was not read in full. Evidence grade C. Developing item.

President Donald Trump denied that he instructed Vice President J.D. Vance to establish contact with Iran to start peace negotiations, rejecting a Wall Street Journal report that Vance had, on his instruction, written to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei proposing that talks resume, RIA Novosti reported via Lenta.ru. Asked about the report, Trump said no, and that Iran needs help with medical supplies, mainly supplies to help people who are sick.

Bloomberg reported earlier on Wednesday, in a headline in this site’s feed pool, that Trump said Vance reached out to Iran to offer medical supplies, which matches the explanation Trump gave for the contact, and oil declined during the day as traders parsed signs of fresh diplomacy on Iran.

Trump denies ordering Vance to reopen Iran talks

Sources