Iran closes Strait of Hormuz amid Lebanon tensions, nuclear talks loom

Iran has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israeli attacks in Lebanon that allegedly violate a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States. This decision, made shortly after the strait was reopened, introduces significant tension into upcoming negotiations scheduled to begin Sunday in Switzerland.

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There are no indications of a closure.

The talks, representing a concrete step toward resolving the nuclear dossier and other pending issues within a 60-day timeframe, now face an uncertain path. While the deadline is not immutable, the closure of Hormuz highlights the potential difficulties ahead for negotiators.

From Washington, there has been no confirmation of the reported closure. U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that no evidence of a shutdown exists, and U.S. Central Command (Centcom) reported that commercial maritime traffic actually increased on June 20, with 55 merchant ships transiting the strait. U.S. forces remain vigilant in the region.

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We will ask the counterpart to implement the commitments and clarify how they intend to respect them.

Despite the tensions surrounding Hormuz, Tehran has decided to send its delegation to Switzerland. This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a ceasefire in Lebanon, reportedly under pressure from the White House. Iran's delegation, including chief negotiator Mohammad Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, has arrived in Switzerland. Tehran insists that the second phase of negotiations for a final agreement cannot begin until specific clauses of the memorandum of understanding are implemented, citing violations of the ceasefire.

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We can talk about nuclear when the implementation of commitments according to clauses 1, 4, 5, and 11 begins and continues. Unfortunately, we are not witnessing this situation.