Operatives from Iran's Ministry of Intelligence indicated to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency a readiness to pursue talks aimed at ending the war, the New York Times reported, citing officials who had been briefed on the interactions. According to those officials, the outreach was conveyed through the intelligence service of an unnamed country.
The account provided to the New York Times came from a mix of Middle Eastern and Western officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. The White House and the CIA did not immediately provide comment when asked.
Officials in Washington, the report said, expressed scepticism about whether Iran or the Trump administration were prepared to accept an "off-ramp" from hostilities, at least in the short term. That doubt underscores continuing uncertainty about whether discrete, back-channel contacts can translate into concrete steps to de-escalate.
On the diplomatic front, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva publicly ruled out, for now, any negotiations with the United States. That statement came on Tuesday, only days after joint strikes on Iran attributed to the United States and Israel.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Tehran purportedly wanted to engage in talks but that it was too late, even as U.S. military operations against Iran continued. The president's comment and Iran's public position present contrasting signals to the private outreach described by the officials briefed on the matter.
Taken together, the private indication of openness to talks and the public denials of negotiations reflect a fluid and uncertain diplomatic picture. The reported back-channel offer was routed through another country's spy agency rather than directly between Tehran and Washington, and U.S. officials' scepticism highlights the gap between signalling and substantive agreement.
Given the limited details available from those briefed, important questions remain about the scope, intent and timing of the outreach. The officials who described the events did so anonymously, and neither the CIA nor the White House issued an immediate response to inquiries.