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World
Switzerland announced the postponement of US-Iran negotiations after US Vice President JD Vance canceled his planned trip to the country.
Switzerland declared that the scheduled US-Iran negotiations would not take place after US Vice President JD Vance canceled his planned visit to the country. The meetings were to include an official signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding and the launch of technical talks between the two nations.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry issued a brief statement on Friday confirming that the US-Iran discussions would not be held as planned at the mountain resort of Burgenstock. The statement did not specify the reasons for the cancellation. Meanwhile, an MTV correspondent in Switzerland reported that the Swiss Foreign Ministry cited technical reasons for postponing the Burgenstock meeting but indicated that the underlying cause was political, related to a lack of agreement between the US and Iran on certain terms of the memorandum, particularly Iran’s interpretation of the clause concerning Hezbollah.
This announcement followed a statement from a White House spokesperson the previous evening confirming that JD Vance had canceled his scheduled trip to Switzerland to meet with Iranian negotiators. The talks were intended to initiate discussions on implementing the memorandum of understanding reached between Tehran and Washington to end the war. This memorandum was signed late Wednesday night by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezhikian.
The postponement has introduced uncertainty regarding the start date of the negotiation period between Washington and Tehran, which, according to the memorandum, is supposed to last 60 days with the possibility of extension.
The delay has also raised doubts and speculation about the likelihood of the two parties reaching a final agreement, especially since some issues could present significant obstacles, foremost among them the Lebanon file. Despite the US-Iran agreement, Israel has continued its airstrikes on southern Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed yesterday that the military would not withdraw from what he described as the "safe zone" in Lebanon, which extends approximately 10 kilometers south of the Litani River.
Additionally, the issue of funds and the "investment fund" has been a subject of dispute between the US and Iran in recent hours. Furthermore, the management of the Strait of Hormuz after the 60-day period may become another contentious topic.
