Mediators: Iran talks to continue at working level

The negotiations had briefly stalled shortly after beginning on Sunday, after US President Donald Trump used his online network to demand that Iran immediately stop Hezbollah in Lebanon from continuing to stir up unrest. Otherwise, there could be new attacks on Iran. The Iranian delegation temporarily left the venue at Bürgenstock near Lucerne, according to the Iranian state news agency Irna. This was apparently a reaction to a new threat from US President Trump.

Incident triggered by Trump threat

Despite the episode, the mediators said the talks had ultimately not failed. In the early morning hours, a statement said the talks had taken place in a «positive und konstruktive Atmosphäre». Encouraging progress was made, including the creation of a mechanism for further talks. The statement was published on the platform X.

60-day deadline for a final agreement

The United States and Iran had concluded a framework agreement the previous week aimed at reaching a comprehensive deal to end the war within 60 days. A joint statement by mediators Qatar and Pakistan announced this 60-day deadline overnight. The working-level negotiations are to cover the Iranian nuclear program, Western sanctions, security in the Strait of Hormuz, and the ceasefire in Lebanon.

On the Iranian side, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are negotiating. The US delegation was led by Vice President JD Vance, who attended the meeting together with Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Delegations from Pakistan and Qatar are also participating as mediators. Swiss Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis additionally met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif as well as US Vice President JD Vance.

Participating delegations and mediators

On the sidelines of the meeting, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani published a photo showing him together with US Vice President JD Vance and Jared Kushner. Vance could be seen typing on a laptop in the picture. Al Thani wrote on X: «Live aus Luzern, die Arbeit geht weiter».

At the start of the meeting, US Vice President Vance had spoken of an opening toward Iran. According to reports, Vance also spoke of a «historischen Treffen» and of turning a new chapter to change our relationship with the Iranian people, and offering them an outstretched hand. The US side did not initially comment overnight on the outcome of the first day of talks.

Voices from Tehran and Washington

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi wrote on X that there had been «große Fortschritte» in efforts to end the war in Lebanon. He also stated that the joint forum to monitor compliance with the ceasefire in Lebanon was the «erste wirkliche Test» of the agreements. According to Araghchi, a larger plan for reconstruction in Iran has also been launched. These statements by Araghchi could not initially be independently verified.

According to Araghchi's statements on X, the US naval blockade of Iranian ports has been lifted, and initial frozen Iranian assets are to be released. Mechanisms are also to be established to ensure that the strait crucial for crude oil and liquefied gas trade remains fully open. As the SRF correspondent reported, the talks are also about clarifying «verwirrende Botschaften des Iran» regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

Ceasefire, Strait of Hormuz, and Lebanon

A ceasefire had entered into force in April but was repeatedly broken. A communication channel was established between the warring parties to prevent incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and to ensure the safe passage of ships through the strait important for world trade. A forum to monitor compliance with the ceasefire in Lebanon was also created, where the Israeli army and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia have repeatedly carried out mutual attacks.

As an SRF correspondent explained, «Das Misstrauen ist zu gross». Hezbollah in Lebanon reportedly rejected any Israeli security zone. According to ticker reports, ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has again declined.

Iran and the question of nuclear weapons

Iran's President Pezeshkian signaled to the United States on Sunday that Iran could also provide a written guarantee of its renunciation of nuclear weapons. He reiterated that the former supreme leader Ali Khamenei had rejected the development of weapons of mass destruction for religious reasons. According to the news agency Irna, Pezeshkian said: «Falls notwendig, können wir schriftlich festhalten, dass wir nicht beabsichtigen, eine Atombombe zu bauen». Pezeshkian left open whether such an assurance would be part of the ongoing talks with the United States in Switzerland.

The political leadership of the Islamic Republic insists that it does not seek nuclear weapons. Working groups on the Iranian nuclear program and on Western sanctions are to be established.

The United States and Israel had begun the Iran war at the end of February. Vance had previously announced that he intended to return to the United States on Monday. The first direct encounter of the delegations on Sunday afternoon reportedly lasted just over an hour.

Multiple media outlets report on ongoing efforts to achieve a continuation of the talks. The technical discussions to implement the agreements are to continue during the current week at the luxury Bürgenstock hotel near Lucerne. This news was broadcast on June 22, 2026, on the Deutschlandfunk program.