High-level U.S.-Iran talks on an interim agreement to end the war get under way in Switzerland as tensions rise from remarks by President Donald Trump. While Vice President JD Vance meets Iranian officials at the Buergenstock resort to begin the first talks under the interim deal, Trump renews threats directed at Tehran from afar, including warnings to Iran’s president and statements that the U.S. could restart strikes. Sources report Trump ties the threat to Iran’s support for Hezbollah and to any attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz.
Negotiators also face immediate substantive friction: before wider issues are addressed, Iran wants to focus on Lebanon. The talks are expected to cover difficult topics including Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz, and steps such as unfreezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets. Multiple outlets say the negotiations are further complicated by Tehran’s announcement that it again closed the Strait of Hormuz, which comes amid ongoing Israeli military activity in southern Lebanon. Israel’s continued presence in a security zone in southern Lebanon also weighs on the talks, with mediators including Pakistan and Qatar working to keep both sides engaged.
