US, Iran Hold Direct Peace Talks in Switzerland as Deal Faces Early Strains
American and Iranian delegations sat down for direct negotiations at a Swiss lakeside resort on Sunday, days after signing an initial peace agreement aimed at ending the war. The talks, hosted at the Bürgenstock resort, mark the first face-to-face meeting since both sides put pen to paper on a memorandum of understanding last week.
The preliminary deal calls for a final agreement within 60 days, a halt to fighting on "all fronts" including Lebanon, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz — a critical waterway for global oil shipments. But the ceasefire has already shown cracks. Iran shut the strait on Saturday after renewed clashes between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, though tracking data indicates vessels continue to transit the route.
President Donald Trump took to social media shortly after talks began, warning Iran to "immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble," and threatening to "hit Iran very hard again" if they did not comply.
Vice-President JD Vance, who leads the US team alongside Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff, said Trump wanted negotiators to "turn over a new leaf." Vance indicated Washington seeks progress on the nuclear issue and Lebanon, and suggested the US could "fundamentally transform our relationship" with Tehran if it abandons regional destabilisation and nuclear ambitions. Iran maintains its nuclear programme is peaceful.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Sunday's talks focused on implementation, with a final deal contingent on enforcing existing commitments — including a halt to all military operations. The Iranian delegation includes parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir also joined the discussions, continuing Islamabad's role as mediator throughout the conflict.
The initial agreement includes a $300 billion reconstruction plan for Iran, termination of US sanctions, and lifting of a naval blockade on Iranian ports. The nuclear question, however, remains unresolved and will be tackled in subsequent negotiations.
📰 Source: BBC World