US-Iran tensions ease as Tehran sees shift in Washington's tone

Iranian officials have acknowledged a significant shift in Washington's tone, raising cautious hopes of averting conflict after a week of warnings about imminent US-Israeli strikes. Tehran described the change as positive but stopped short of agreeing to direct negotiations. Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei said the tone of a letter from US Vice President JD Vance had "changed completely," while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi welcomed Washington's attempt to reopen dialogue. The comments followed over 12 hours of Qatari-mediated talks in Tehran, with mediators exploring confidence-building measures such as international inspections in exchange for limited sanctions relief. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump had not decided on further strikes and remained open to diplomacy. However, fundamental disagreements persist, with Washington seeking nuclear concessions while Iran demands relief from the naval blockade, access to frozen funds, and permission to resume oil sales.