Mediators hail ‘progress’ in US-Iran talks

BURGENSTOCK

US Vice President JD Vance looks on next to U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, as Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi shakes hands with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, prior to a quadrilateral meeting between the United States, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026.

Iran’s senior envoys left talks in Switzerland on June 22 after a marathon negotiating session with the United States, state media reported, as mediators claimed progress towards a definitive U.S.-Iran deal.

The host nation said conditions were set for technical talks to immediately follow, with the sides at the beginning of a 60-day period to secure a long-term settlement.

Last week, Tehran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding laying the groundwork for the negotiations, after a 40-day war that was followed by weeks of an inconclusive and oft-breached ceasefire.

The negotiators aim to tackle some of the most intractable issues that have dogged U.S.-Iranian relations for decades, including Tehran’s nuclear programme and enriched uranium.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on June 22 that “a very brief discussion took place regarding the nuclear issue, but there was no discussion of details” and that nuclear talks had not begun.

All the while, the war in Lebanon between Israel and Iran’s close ally Hezbollah has threatened to collapse the ceasefire, though the country has been relatively calm since June 21.

Israeli leaders have expressed deep misgivings over the deal signed last week and have insisted that their troops will continue to occupy southern Lebanon and are free to respond to any threats there.

Tehran and Washington, meanwhile, have set up communication lines to end the fighting in Lebanon and to keep the vital Strait of Hormuz open, mediators said, after the first round of talks.

Mediators Pakistan and Qatar said the negotiators reached agreement on a “roadmap towards reaching a final deal within 60 days,” with technical talks to continue for the rest of the week at the Swiss resort of Burgenstock.

“Encouraging progress has been made including the creation of a mechanism for further technical talks,” they said, detailing a contact channel set up to “avoid incidents and miscommunication” in the Strait of Hormuz.

A “de-confliction cell,” between the parties and the Lebanese authorities has also been agreed to prevent fighting from erupting again, they said.

“Tireless Pakistani and Qatari mediation has delivered major progress to end Lebanon War,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X.

“Oil and petrochem exports are waived, blockade lifted, some frozen assets released, and major reconstruction & development plan launched for Iran. 1st real test: Lebanon deconfliction cell,” he wrote.

The development came after a shaky start to the negotiations, with the Islamic Republic’s delegation walking out in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to strike Iran over its support for Hezbollah on June 21.

Iran hit back with a warning of its own. “They would do better to be careful with their statements; our armed forces are ready to respond to them in a different manner. No matter what they say, we are the ones who act,” Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who led the American delegation, had hailed the talks in Switzerland as “historic.”

Flanked by presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff, Vance asked: “Can we turn over a new leaf? Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently?