U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers a military doctrine speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, on September 30, 2026.
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US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reportedly fired the Pentagon’s top military planner amid concerns that the US government will resume attacks on Iran after the midterm elections.
Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia has been fired as the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s director of strategy, plans, and policy, according to the Associated Press. The reason for his dismissal was not disclosed, and no one was named to replace him. Sylvia is now retired, ABC News reported, citing two people familiar with the matter.
The Associated Press also reported that U.S. officials have told some countries in the Middle East to prepare for possible new military action against Iran and Iranian retaliation after next week’s midterm elections.
Separately, the Wall Street Journal reported that Vice President J.D. Vance sent a letter to Iran “urging it to resume peace talks with one of Iran’s most powerful hardliners.”
Trump downplayed the idea of peace talks, telling reporters, “We need medical supplies and all kinds of aid,” adding, “He asked me what I thought. I said, ‘If you want to do that, that’s fine.'”
For Tehran’s side, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragushi wrote in X late Wednesday that “Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance for success.”
He said Iran was “in close and continuous contact with intermediaries to explore ideas that would ensure the implementation of the seven-day plan within a week.”
The seven-day plan was proposed last month, with Tehran saying the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and normal navigation restored if necessary conditions were met, which reportedly included an end to hostilities and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
Iran then plans to reopen the strait to normal commercial navigation and resume negotiations with Washington.
