Vice President JD Vance has postponed a planned trip to Switzerland for U.S.-Iran talks that were expected to begin on Friday, according to a statement from the White House. The White House cited 'logistics' as the reason for the change in plans, although some reports suggest that the decision may be related to the unstable ceasefire in Lebanon.
At a press conference on Thursday, Vance noted that the plans for the talks had not been finalized and mentioned potential travel challenges for Iranian officials. The White House stated, 'The U.S. delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity. But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable.' As of now, the Vice President is not departing tonight, and the administration looks forward to beginning technical talks as soon as possible.
On Thursday afternoon, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei authorized Iranian negotiators to engage in direct talks with the U.S., while emphasizing that this does not indicate acceptance of U.S. views. Iran's chief negotiator, Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, expressed gratitude to Khamenei and affirmed Iran's commitment to its red lines in the negotiations, though he did not mention any change in plans.
A U.S. official indicated that Iran's claims regarding alleged Israeli violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon might be a factor in the postponement of the talks. Earlier on Thursday, Israel's military conducted a strike in southern Lebanon, resulting in four fatalities. Following this, intense fighting erupted between the Israeli military and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
On Thursday evening, President Trump stated on Truth Social that the U.S. is committed to peace and urged all parties in the region to allow the negotiations to proceed smoothly. He called for a complete ceasefire across all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel. In response, Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri reaffirmed Lebanon's and Hezbollah's commitment to the ceasefire, contingent upon Israel's full compliance. Israeli Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter reiterated Israel's commitment to the ceasefire agreement, while maintaining Israel's right to respond to any attacks.