Mohsen Rezaei, a top Iranian security official, once warned that ceasefire negotiations could span "30 to 40 years" and that both sides should "be prepared to fight" during such a period. These statements resurfaced amid reports that U.S. Vice President JD Vance contacted Rezaei, a key aide to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in an effort to revive peace talks between the United States and Iran.
Rezaei, a former commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a significant figure in shaping Tehran's military strategy during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, made the remarks in a 2006 interview with the Iranian publication Baztab. An English translation preserved by George Washington University's National Security Archive quotes Rezaei stating, "Ceasefire means an unfinished war." He elaborated that negotiations could take decades, and during that time, Iran and Iraq should "be prepared to fight."
The Wall Street Journal reported in November that Vance sent Rezaei a letter proposing renewed peace talks. Iranian state media acknowledged receipt of the letter but indicated no response had been given, with the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reporting that Iran awaited U.S. compliance with its conditions. Rezaei himself has maintained a defiant stance on social media, accusing Washington of spreading "FAKE NEWS about imaginary talks" and demanding the U.S. "SURRENDER to the seven conditions Iran has repeatedly set out."
Former President Donald Trump has previously issued warnings to Iran regarding its approach to negotiations. In June, he posted on Truth Social that Iran had taken too long to agree to terms and would "pay the price." More recently, he indicated that Iran desired a deal but warned that potential U.S. strikes could be swift. "We could knock it out fast, or we could knock it out over a short, not a long period of time," Trump said in a C-SPAN interview.
Rezaei has been subject to U.S. sanctions, including those imposed by the Trump administration in January 2020 targeting senior Iranian officials. He has also faced international scrutiny, with Interpol issuing a Red Notice in 2007 in connection with the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. Rezaei has denied involvement.
In the 2006 interview, Rezaei also discussed the distinction between Iran's public rhetoric and its military strategy, suggesting that battlefield gains were intended to strengthen negotiation positions rather than achieve total conquest. He noted that Iran struggled to translate battlefield successes into diplomatic victories due to a lack of international alliances and influence at the United Nations.