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US-Iran talks to kick off Sunday in Switzerland, says Pakistan

From Al Jazeera · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Pakistan announced that U.S.-Iran talks, postponed from Friday, will commence Sunday in Switzerland amid heightened tensions.
  • Iran's foreign ministry confirmed an Iranian delegation, including high-ranking officials, is en route to Switzerland.
  • The negotiations aim to finalize a U.S.-Iran deal following a memorandum of understanding signed earlier in the week, which declared a permanent end to military operations.

Pakistan has announced that long-anticipated negotiations between the United States and Iran, initially scheduled for Friday, are now set to begin on Sunday in Switzerland. This development occurs against a backdrop of significant regional tensions, including ongoing Israeli attacks in Lebanon and Iran's recent announcement to close the Strait of Hormuz once again.

Tehran has confirmed the departure of its delegation, which includes Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, for Switzerland. In Washington, Vice President JD Vance confirmed that top U.S. negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are already in Switzerland preparing for the technical aspects of the talks, which are expected to focus on Iran's nuclear program.

The planned meeting follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) earlier in the week, which stipulated a permanent cessation of "military operations on all fronts," including in Lebanon. This MoU sets a 60-day timeframe for reaching a final deal, with the possibility of extension by mutual consent.

it’s always a delicate coordination dance.

— JD VanceVice President JD Vance described the process of coordinating the U.S.-Iran negotiations.

However, the path to these negotiations has been fraught with difficulty. The delay from Friday was attributed to Iran's failure to send its delegation, coinciding with continued deadly Israeli strikes in Lebanon. Despite a renewed ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah on Friday, Israeli attacks persisted into Saturday, resulting in numerous casualties.

In response to the ongoing Israeli actions and what Iran termed a U.S. violation of ceasefire commitments, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the re-imposition of restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC warned ships to avoid the strategic waterway due to potential security risks. Meanwhile, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader cautioned that Middle Eastern energy flows would cease if the U.S.-Iran agreement remained only on paper, underscoring the delicate nature of the ongoing diplomatic efforts.

remains only on paper

— Mohammad MokhberAn adviser to Iran’s supreme leader warned about the potential consequences if the U.S.-Iran agreement is not fully implemented.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Al Jazeera. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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