Negotiations aimed at achieving lasting peace between the United States and Iran are set to begin on Sunday in a luxury hotel in the Swiss Alps, just four days after a contentious memorandum of understanding was signed. According to reports from AFP and Reuters, the agreement is intended to halt ongoing hostilities.
While the U.S. and Iran have agreed to a 60-day ceasefire during the talks, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz is closed—a statement challenged by the U.S. military, which reported that commercial vessels continue to navigate through the strait.
These developments could add complexity to negotiations, as both sides aim to utilize the interim agreement mediated by Pakistan and signed by President Donald Trump and President Masoud Pezeshkian to end nearly four months of conflict.
Challenges Arise Before Negotiations Begin
The discussions, which will focus on Iran’s nuclear program, are expected to last for 60 days, with potential extensions. However, obstacles are already emerging, including sustained fighting in Lebanon, despite a clause in the agreement calling for a cessation of hostilities on all fronts. Additionally, Tehran announced a renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz as a retaliatory measure.
American Vice President JD Vance arrived early Sunday at Emmen Air Base near Lucerne, Switzerland, according to his spokesperson. The Iranian delegation, led by chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is also the Speaker of Parliament, and including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, arrived on Saturday evening, according to the Swiss government.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose mediation was crucial for the agreement reached on June 17, also announced his arrival in Switzerland on Saturday evening.
Preparatory Talks Commence
Vance stated before departing the U.S. that the discussions are expected to last “a few days,” noting that he would only be in Switzerland for a day or two. “I hope we will make progress on the nuclear issue and the ceasefire in Lebanon. These are the two main points I believe we will focus on,” he remarked.
The negotiations are scheduled to take place at a luxury hotel in Bürgenstock, which overlooks Lake Lucerne. Preliminary talks started on Saturday among diplomats, and the Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed that “technical discussions” would occur on Sunday between Iranian and American representatives.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, warned that the protocol would be “at risk” if its clauses were not swiftly implemented, alluding to the ongoing conflicts in Lebanon where confrontations between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah continue.
Vance: Lebanon’s Situation Mirrors Egg and Chicken Dilemma
Israeli airstrikes resulted in several dozen fatalities in eastern and southern Lebanon on Saturday. However, an AFP correspondent noted a cessation of these strikes later in the day, as the Israeli military received orders to halt clashes with Hezbollah in the south, while still acting “defensively” in the area.
The Israeli military also reported that one of its soldiers was killed in southern Lebanon on Saturday. Before his departure for Switzerland, Vance expressed optimism that the situation in Lebanon is “improving.”
He addressed the complexity of the situation, stating, “The major problem is that someone will start firing, and then someone else will retaliate. Thus, we face, in a way, the egg-and-chicken problem, where we must stop the firing long enough for the ceasefire to hold; that is what we are trying to achieve.”
