US-Iran technical talks postponed amid Lebanon escalation; Witkoff heads to Switzerland

US hopes to turn over 'new leaf' with Iran, but Trump threatens to resume bombing Submitted by MEE staff on Sun, 06/21/2026 - 14:27 JD Vance hails 'historic talks' in Switzerland, but Trump says Iran will be hit 'very hard' if it does not contain Hezbollah US Vice President JD Vance attends the Lake Lucerne Summit at the Burgenstock resort in Obburgen, Switzerland, on 21 June 2026 (Reuters) Off US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that President Donald Trump had asked him to turn over "a new leaf" in American ties with the Iranian people. But at the same time as the talks were occurring, Trump threatened to continue bombing Iran if it did not contain Hezbollah. Vance arrived at the Burgenstock mountain resort in Switzerland on Sunday morning to join Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for technical talks with Iranian officials following last week's signing of a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran. "This is a historic meeting," Vance said, adding that the goal was to "turn over a new leaf to transform our relationship with the people of Iran, and to extend an outstretched hand". "The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together? Can we turn over a new leaf? Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently? "Or do we go back to doing things the old way, which is not our preference, but it's certainly very much something that can happen." Qatar and Pakistan are mediating the discussions. Vance said the technical discussions would allow US and Iranian officials to work through outstanding issues. While the negotiations might not resolve every disagreement, he said they would bring both sides together as teams "for the first time in history". Vance is leading the US delegation, while Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are leading the Iranian team. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir are also in Switzerland. "I have joked that I have two very, very important people in my life," Vance said. "An Indian and a Pakistani. The Indian is my wife, and the Pakistani is Field-Marshal Munir."  'Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble' - US President Donald Trump The vice president said Trump wanted to "extend an outstretched hand that says to the people of Iran that if your leadership is willing to give up being a driver of regional instability, if they are willing to give up nuclear weapons ambitions for the long term, then the United States is willing to fundamentally transform our relationship with that country".  Moments later, Trump took to Truth Social to threaten renewed military action against Iran unless Tehran stopped Hezbollah from "causing trouble" in Lebanon. "Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble," Trump wrote. "If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!" Fallout from Iran war Iran re-closed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday over continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon.  The move came after at least 29 people were killed when Israeli forces launched a wave of attacks across southern Lebanon, a day after Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to a ceasefire.  Iran warned again on Sunday that it would not enter into a broader agreement with Washington unless Israel ended its attacks on Lebanon. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that Israeli troops faced "no restrictions" on acting against any threat encountered inside Lebanon. "There has never been, and there is currently no restriction on [Israeli] soldiers in Lebanon from acting to eliminate threats... As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have made clear: Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon," Katz said in a statement, referring to an area extending roughly 10km into Lebanese territory where Israeli forces remain stationed. Ninety-two percent of Israelis think Iran has won war, new poll finds Read More » Katz's comments came as a new poll found that 92 percent of Israelis believed Iran had won the war that was launched by the US and Israel in late February.  The survey, conducted by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, found that Israelis overwhelmingly view the war and subsequent deal with the US in a negative way, with 83 percent of those polled saying the campaign has weakened Israel's long-term security and 86 percent feeling negatively about the outcome. This public perception mirrors the feelings of Israel's political and military elite, many of whom see the end of the war on Iran as representing a turning point that could weaken Israel's regional influence. The poll found that 72.5 percent of Israelis do not believe Netanyahu when he says Israel achieved significant gains and removed an existential threat, a feeling that also reflects the growing uncertainty around the prime minister's future. The close relationship between Israel and the Trump administration has come under the spotlight this week.  On Friday, Vance said that criticism of Israel should not automatically be equated with antisemitism. "The president has been very clear, he's got some disagreements with Bibi Netanyahu about how precisely to bring the Iran war to a close," Vance said. 'It's just not the case that every criticism of Bibi Netanyahu's policy decisions leads to antisemitism' - US Vice President JD Vance "They're a good partner in the same way that the United Kingdom or France are good partners - that doesn't mean that we're always going to have aligned interests. "Sometimes criticism of the Israeli government can be expressed in a way that's antisemitic. It's just not the case that every criticism of Bibi Netanyahu's policy decisions leads to antisemitism." His remarks came a day after Vance warned Israel that Trump was its only remaining powerful ally as he batted away criticism of the Iran deal. “My message to them would be twofold. ​Number 1: Donald J Trump is the only head of state in the entire world ‌who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this ‌moment in time,” Vance told reporters on Thursday. “If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left ‌in the entire world.” War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ​ceasefire in Lebanon on Friday after an escalation in fighting there jeopardised the chances of an interim agreement on ending the war in Iran turning into a lasting Middle East peace deal.U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is traveling to Switzerland for the first round of talks with Iran on a potential nuclear deal, Axios reported on Friday, citing a U.S. official.The development comes a day after Vice President JD Vance canceled plans to attend the talks, which were called off amid the renewed fighting in ‌Lebanon. That escalation has raised fresh ⁠uncertainty over the ⁠fate of negotiations critical to reopening the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping.Trump told NBC News he had spoken with Israel and asked it to agree to the ceasefire."You just gotta calm down sometimes and use your head," Trump was quoted as saying by an NBC reporter ​on X, who added that the president had declined to specify whether he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly.A senior U.S. official said the ceasefire came into effect around 4 p.m. Lebanon time (1300 GMT) following an exchange ​of fire, adding that negotiators for the U.S. and Qataris had worked out the agreement with help from Iran.Two sources from Iran-aligned Hezbollah and a senior Israeli official confirmed the ceasefire to Reuters."If Hezbollah does not attack us, then for us it is not a time of war," the Israeli official said, adding that Israel would keep its forces in southern Lebanon, where it has occupied an area along Israel's northern border.Two Lebanese security sources said ​Israel had carried out a dozen airstrikes in the first hour of the ceasefire but none were recorded after 5 p.m.Lebanon's health ministry said ⁠Israeli strikes ‌after midnight into Friday had killed 47 people and wounded 97, while the Israeli military said four soldiers had been killed in an incident in Lebanon, without giving further details.The conflict ​in Lebanon could weigh on ​negotiations because ending fighting there is a condition for the broader U.S.-Iran accord.TOUGH ISSUES STILL UNRESOLVEDA memorandum of understanding signed this week by the Iranian and U.S. presidents left ⁠discussion of Iran's nuclear programme and other tough issues until later, giving the sides 60 days to reach a lasting agreement or ​extend the interim deal.Preparations for technical talks to start in the Swiss mountaintop resort of Buergenstock were far advanced when the White House said ​on Thursday that Vance would not attend.The Swiss foreign ministry said the talks had been postponed and that Switzerland remained ready to facilitate them and the relevant preparatory work was continuing.The broad interim deal requires the United States, Iran and their allies to declare an immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.Israel, left out of the talks, says it is not party to the deal.Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, in a phone call with his Pakistani counterpart on Friday, said the U.S. would be responsible for any violation of its commitments under the deal, including ending the fighting in Lebanon, his ministry said.NEW ROUND OF ISRAEL-LEBANON TALKS DISCUSSEDLebanon was sucked into the regional war when Hezbollah opened fire at Israel on March 2, prompting Israel to launch an offensive against the group and invade the south of the country.Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the ‌latest Israeli attacks but said the escalation would not hinder efforts to reach a comprehensive ceasefire. The U.S. State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Aoun and reiterated the need to disarm Hezbollah while reaffirming U.S. support for a "fully sovereign" Lebanese state. It said they also discussed holding a next round of Israel-Lebanon negotiations in Washington from June 23-25. The Lebanese presidency said ​a comprehensive ceasefire was a fundamental ​pillar for these talks.TRUMP DEFENDS INTERIM DEALThe Iran war, which ⁠began on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli air attacks on Iran, has killed at least 7,000 people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon. It also pushed up energy prices, stoking inflation worldwide.Brent crude ticked higher on Friday, but stayed set for a weekly fall of around 8% after the Lebanon ceasefire, and oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz picked up after the signing of this week's deal. The strait carried nearly a ​fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before it was blockaded by Iran during the war. The body set up by Iran to manage the strait said on Friday it would waive planned fees during the interim deal's negotiation period. The MoU foresees relief for Iran from economic sanctions, the unfreezing of assets worth tens of billions of dollars and immediate U.S. waivers for its exports of oil. It also provides for a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran and other financial incentives.Trump again defended the deal after criticism in Washington, including from some of his Republican allies in Congress who question whether he conceded too much to end a war unpopular with most Americans ahead of midterm elections in November."The War has diminished Iran!" he wrote in social media posts on Friday, adding: "We didn't meet out of desperation, Iran did. They are FINISHED! We'll play out the 60 days. They get no money, not ten cents!"

JD Vance lambasted Israeli critics of the proposed deal, but did not travel to Europe as planned. Plus, at 82 years old, Keith Richards still gives some of the best interview quotes in townGood morning. Talks set to take place today between the US ⁠⁠and ​Iran to implement a peace deal were abruptly cancelled. The White House said the US still looked forward to “beginning technical talks as soon as possible”. Hezbollah-linked media reported Tehran was delaying sending its delegation due to Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon.The talks were set to begin in the Swiss village of Obbürgen two days after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that opened a 60-day window to negotiate a permanent agreement over Iran’s nuclear programme, while reopening the strait of Hormuz. The centre of the strait is blocked with about 80 mines that will need clearing for normal shipping to resume, the independent tanker owner trade body has said.What is happening in Lebanon? Hezbollah targeted Israeli forces near Nabatieh with several salvoes of rocket fire after Israeli shelling. Israel responded with a wave of airstrikes, killing at least 18 people and injuring 33. Iran has said Israel’s attacks on Lebanon must end as part of any peace deal.What did JD Vance say to Israeli critics of the deal? In sharp words, the vice-president said: “Donald J Trump is the only head of state in the entire world ‌who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this ‌moment in time. If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left ‌in the entire world.”Why does Trump’s Iran entanglement echo the Jimmy Carter years? In this excellent analysis piece Robert Tait reminds us that one of Trump’s earliest political forays was lambasting the Democratic president during the 1980 Iran hostage crisis. Trump, Tait says, now finds himself in a position that uncannily resembles that of his predecessor – unable to bend Iran to his will despite superior US military power. Continue reading...

IDF claims continuing strikes come after Iran-backed group repeatedly violated ceasefire; JD Vance cancels trip as US-Iran talks set for Friday cancelledUS-Iran talks in Switzerland abruptly called offJD Vance tells Iran deal critics in Israel: Trump is your only ally left in the worldLebanon’s state-run National News Agency is saying at least 16 people have been killed in the Israeli airstrikes, which Israel’s military said were ongoing, while Hezbollah said there was intense fighting in southern Lebanon.The fighting poses a threat to the new US-Iran agreement on ending the war, which calls for an immediate halt of military operations “on all fronts, including in Lebanon”.Vance lashed out at Israeli critics of the Iran deal, saying Donald Trump was Israel’s only ally left in the world, in a sharp rebuke that referenced the billions in defence aid ⁠the country receives from America. Trump “is the only head of state in the entire world ‌who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this ‌moment in time”, Vance told reporters.Trump said the ​US expected “a ⁠complete ceasefire on all fronts, including ⁠Lebanon, Hezbollah ​and Israel”, adding in a social media post: “We ‌encourage everyone ‌in the ‌Middle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations ‌to beautifully unfold.”Iran’s supreme leader said he approved the deal with the US despite having a “different view”, without elaborating. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said in message read on state television: “In principle, I had a different view [about the memorandum of understanding], but I issued my permission due to the commitment that the honourable [Iranian] president, as the chairman of the Supreme National Security Council, gave me on behalf of himself and other members to protect the rights of the Iranian nation and the resistance front.”In Khamenei’s message on Thursday – his first reaction to the Iran-US deal – he claimed Trump had “used all kinds of levers” to secure the deal “out of desperation”. The US president has claimed the agreement is a victory for Washington and averts a “worldwide depression”. Continue reading...