UPDATED | Former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner is weighing a run for mayor of New York City, an effort that would mark an attempt to return to public life two years after he resigned in a scandal over sexually explicit messages sent to young women.

An interview published Wednesday by the New York Times Magazine marked the first time Mr. Weiner has spoken at length about what led him to exchange lewd messages and photos with women he met online, the impact the scandal had on his wife and his political ambitions. "At breakfast," the Times article says, "Weiner quickly put all the speculation to rest: he is eyeing the mayor's race."

Details of the report couldn't be independently confirmed. Just after 1 p.m., Mr. Weiner stepped outside his apartment building wearing a white shirt and jeans to briefly address reporters.

"So I don't have anything more to add than what you read in The New York Times story," he said. "But I'll be glad to sit down with each of you individually at some time next week. Thank you very much. Sorry to keep you keep you all waiting."

The former congressman has stayed largely silent in public since his resignation in June 2011. As the Journal reported last month, Mr. Weiner spent more than $100,000 from his city campaign account to conduct a fresh round of polling and research. And in an interview with People magazine last year he declined to rule out the possibility of running for public office.