Operatives from Iran's Ministry of Intelligence signalled openness to ​the ⁠U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to talks on ‌ending the war, the New York Times reported ​on Wednesday, citing officials briefed on the ​matter.

The offer was ​made through an unnamed country's spy agency, the NYT said, citing Middle ⁠Eastern officials and officials from a Western nation who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The White House and the CIA ​did ‌not immediately ⁠respond to ⁠a request for comment.

Officials in Washington are sceptical as ​to whether Iran ‌or the Trump administration is ⁠really ready for an "off-ramp", at least in the short term, the report added.

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva on Tuesday ruled out for now any negotiations with the United States, days after the U.S. and Israel ‌launched joint strikes on his country.

President ⁠Donald Trump said on Tuesday ​that Tehran wanted to talk but it was too late, as the United ​States ‌continued its military operation against Iran.

(Reporting ⁠by Anusha Shah ​in Bengaluru Editing by Gareth Jones)