Senior U.S. and Iranian officials concluded an initial round of negotiations in Switzerland on Monday, with mediators announcing that both sides had agreed on a framework aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement within 60 days.
The talks, held at the Swiss mountain resort of Buergenstock and facilitated by Qatar and Pakistan, came amid heightened tensions following Iran’s renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz and fresh warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump about possible military action against Tehran.
In a joint statement, the mediators said technical-level discussions would continue throughout the week. The statement also revealed that the parties had agreed on a mechanism to help end hostilities in Lebanon and establish direct communication channels to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iranian officials began negotiations on Sunday under a memorandum of understanding reached last week, which extended a fragile ceasefire for at least another 60 days. Discussions reportedly continued into the early hours of Monday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi later stated that Tehran had secured waivers allowing oil and petrochemical exports, access to some frozen assets, and the launch of a reconstruction and development programme for the country.
The White House did not immediately comment on whether the high-level negotiations had formally concluded.
Ahead of the talks, Trump reportedly warned Iranian officials against any further attempts to shut the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran risked severe consequences if it did so again. He also repeated earlier remarks suggesting the United States could assume control of the vital shipping route and impose transit fees.
Trump said his administration agreed to the memorandum of understanding to prevent a global economic crisis that could result from prolonged disruptions to oil shipments through the strait. Following the mediators’ announcement, Brent crude prices fell by more than $1, settling at $79.44 per barrel.
Conflicting accounts emerged regarding the negotiations. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian delegates briefly refused to re-enter the meeting room after Trump’s comments became public, though indirect communication reportedly continued through Qatari and Pakistani mediators.
According to the report, Tehran insisted that progress on nuclear negotiations depended on Washington fulfilling other commitments outlined in the memorandum, including the release of frozen Iranian assets and approval for oil exports.
A U.S. diplomat involved in the discussions disputed claims of a breakdown, saying Iranian officials remained engaged throughout the talks.
“The Iranians never left and are still here meeting and negotiating deep into the night,” the diplomat said, noting that discussions covered the Strait of Hormuz, Lebanon, nuclear issues and implementation details of the memorandum.
The agreement seeks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reduce regional tensions, including ending hostilities in Lebanon, where clashes between Israel and Hezbollah have continued despite recent ceasefire efforts.
Iran had announced over the weekend that it was once again restricting maritime traffic through the strait, accusing the United States of failing to uphold commitments related to ending the conflict in Lebanon. Tehran also maintained that Sunday’s negotiations would not focus on substantive nuclear issues.
During the talks, Vance downplayed concerns over continued violence in Lebanon, saying there had been progress toward reducing hostilities.
“These things are always a little bit messy,” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, Trump renewed his warning to Tehran, demanding that Iran restrain Hezbollah and other allied groups operating in Lebanon.
“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid proxies in Lebanon from causing trouble,” Trump wrote on social media, warning that the United States could launch further strikes against Iran if the situation escalated.
Despite the tough rhetoric, Vance emphasized that Washington remained committed to improving relations with Iran, saying Trump wanted to “turn over a new leaf” in relations with the Iranian people.
A U.S. official also said part of the discussions focused on clarifying Iran’s position regarding the Strait of Hormuz and creating mechanisms to prevent future disruptions to global shipping.
Although a ceasefire was announced in Lebanon on Friday, fighting has continued intermittently. Iran cited the ongoing conflict as justification for again restricting maritime traffic through the strait, whose closure for nearly four months caused unprecedented disruption to global energy markets.
Shipping activity through the waterway remained significantly reduced on Sunday, with maritime analytics firm Kpler reporting that only five vessels passed through the strait, down sharply from 26 the previous day.
Lebanon experienced a relatively calm day on Sunday after two days of intense Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah attacks. However, the conflict has already displaced more than one million people since Israel launched its military campaign against Hezbollah in March.
