Direct negotiations between the United States and Iran are scheduled to open in Switzerland on Sunday, even as Tehran’s military announced it had closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon.
The US military immediately disputed the claim, saying maritime traffic “continues to flow.” Iran’s foreign ministry insisted the closure was a reaction to what it called deadly violations of its agreement with Washington to end the Iran war, BBC reports.
US Vice-President JD Vance departed Washington late Saturday for the talks, which he said he hoped would advance “the nuclear issue” and the “Lebanon ceasefire issue.”
Speaking to reporters before boarding his flight, Vance described the situation between Israel and Hezbollah as “actually getting better” and “slowing down a little bit.”
He added, “It’s going to be something we’re just going to have to continuously manage to ensure that Israel and Lebanon are both safe and secure. That’s fundamentally the goal of this, to make the whole region safe and secure.”
An Iranian delegation led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has already arrived in Switzerland. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran would be “demanding that the other side fulfil its commitments.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the opening session, his office confirmed to the BBC. Pakistan has acted as mediator throughout the conflict and previously hosted a round of US–Iran negotiations.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed an initial agreement to end the war, including in Lebanon, with immediate effect. The accord commits both sides to further talks aimed at reaching a final settlement within 60 days.
Complicating the process are continuing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia entrenched in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
On Saturday, Lebanon’s health ministry reported at least 47 killed in Israeli air strikes. The Israel Defense Forces said it struck 80 Hezbollah-linked targets, killing “dozens” of fighters, while acknowledging four Israeli soldiers were also killed.
Despite the violence, Israel and Hezbollah confirmed an immediate ceasefire on Friday afternoon, following the US–Iran accord.
