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World
Washington and Tehran start negotiations in Switzerland as Iranian military closes the Strait of Hormuz over ongoing Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
The Swiss resort of Burgenstock is hosting the initial session of negotiations between Washington and Tehran on Sunday, following a "memorandum of understanding" now facing significant challenges. Israeli attacks on Lebanon have emerged as a major obstacle to implementing the agreement, prompting Iran to announce the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Tehran considers the continuation of military operations in Lebanon a violation of the memorandum's terms, which call for a ceasefire on all fronts.
Pakistan, which is leading mediation efforts between the United States and Iran, stated that "technical talks" will commence on Sunday in Switzerland, involving officials from both countries along with mediators from Pakistan and Qatar.
It remains unclear whether the negotiations will be held directly between the two delegations, as in the previous round hosted in Islamabad, which lasted 21 hours without reaching an agreement.
Before departing Andrews Air Force Base, US President Joe Biden's deputy, J.D. Vance, told reporters he would stay in Switzerland for "a day or two" to participate in peace talks. He also noted that President Donald Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, were already in Switzerland preparing for the negotiations.
The Iranian delegation has arrived in Switzerland, led by their chief negotiator and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. The group includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei, and other officials.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Commander Asim Munir traveled to Switzerland to take part in the talks.
The negotiations come at a sensitive time. The new round of talks was initially scheduled for the previous Friday but was postponed due to ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
According to CNN, citing a diplomat, an emergency session dedicated to discussing the situation in Lebanon has been added to the agenda for the US-Iran talks in Switzerland on Sunday. This will be the first topic addressed among the participating parties.
This development occurs amid rising tensions in Lebanon and continued Israeli strikes, which threaten the path of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding.
An Iranian official told CNN that ending the fighting in Lebanon is "the most important item on the Iranian delegation's agenda," emphasizing that Tehran views establishing a ceasefire as a fundamental condition for advancing the understandings with Washington.
Iran regards the Israeli strikes as a breach of the memorandum, and the Iranian military leadership has gone further by announcing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to the ongoing attacks.
Lebanon
Tehran considers the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon the most urgent matter and has stated it will not proceed with negotiations if Israel continues its military operations.
Strait of Hormuz
The Iranian military announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, justifying the move by citing the ongoing Israeli attacks in Lebanon. This announcement came as maritime traffic began to gradually recover following the US-Iran understanding.
Iran's Nuclear Program
If the parties manage to overcome disagreements related to Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz, the talks are expected to focus on Iran's nuclear program. Before departing, Vance expressed hope for progress on this issue during the weekend.
The negotiations are also anticipated to address several contentious issues unresolved in the initial agreement, including the future of Iran's nuclear program, the status of the Strait of Hormuz, and ensuring freedom of navigation there.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei stated that the Iranian delegation aims to "follow up on the implementation of the other party's commitments," warning that talks on a final agreement will not begin until Iran is convinced that the United States is fulfilling what was agreed upon.
Iran asserts that Washington has failed to meet its obligations by not halting Israeli attacks on Lebanon, despite the declaration of a ceasefire in Lebanon on Friday.
The US-Iran memorandum stipulates a ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon.
Before leaving for Switzerland, Vance said he hoped negotiators would make progress on Iran's nuclear program and the ceasefire in Lebanon, adding that the Iranians "also have issues they want to discuss."
In an interview with Fox News, Vance expressed confidence that the ceasefire would hold and said he had seen no evidence of the Strait of Hormuz being closed.
Upon arriving in Zurich, Qalibaf stated he would "defend Iran's rights" in these negotiations.
Referring to what it described as "Israeli crimes" in Lebanon that violate the US commitment to ceasefire, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard warned on Saturday that ships approaching the Strait of Hormuz—a vital passage for global oil and gas supplies—would be at risk.
However, the US Central Command reported that 55 commercial vessels passed through the strait on Saturday, carrying over 17 million barrels of oil destined for global markets.
The Central Command added that US forces will ensure the continuation of commercial navigation.
On Saturday, former President Donald Trump posted on the Truth Social platform that no fees would be imposed on passage through the strait during the 60-day ceasefire period or afterward, unless the United States imposes fees if peace talks fail.
Trump left open the possibility that the US might charge transit fees for the Strait of Hormuz "for services rendered as the guardian of the Middle Eastern countries" if no peace agreement is reached.
Mohammad Mokhber, advisor to Supreme Leader Khamenei's son Mojtaba Khamenei, accused the United States of failing to implement the first clause of its 14-point agreement with Iran, which includes a ceasefire "on all fronts," including Lebanon.
In a post on X, Mokhber stated that "as long as the agreement remains only on paper, the flow of energy from the Middle East will remain halted."
Ceasing hostilities in Lebanon was a prerequisite for starting talks between the US and Iran on Iran's nuclear program and other issues. However, the Lebanese Civil Defense reported that Israeli airstrikes killed 20 people in Lebanon on Saturday, hours after the ceasefire took effect.
The death toll from Israeli air raids on Lebanon since March 2 has reached 4,057, including paramedics, women, and children, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
Israel stated its strikes were in response to attacks by Hezbollah, while the group declared it would not allow Israel "freedom of movement" in Lebanon.
Israel, which is not participating in the talks, says it is not a party to the agreement and intends to keep its forces in the territories it occupies in southern Lebanon.
Despite diplomatic efforts, positions remain divergent. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists his forces will remain in the occupied southern Lebanese areas "until any threat to Israel is eliminated," while Hezbollah says it is committed to the ceasefire but insists on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese lands.
