OBBUERGEN, Switzerland (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance met with Iranian officials on Sunday to discuss the interim agreement aimed at ending the conflict between the U.S. and Iran. The talks took place at a resort near Lake Lucerne and included discussions with Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, with mediators from Pakistan and Qatar present.
Iran expressed dissatisfaction with the interim agreement, citing ongoing Israeli attacks in Lebanon and announced that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, although the U.S. Central Command disputed this claim. The U.S. aims to secure negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program, which Iran insists is for peaceful purposes.
Vance emphasized the importance of the talks, stating, "The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together? Can we turn over a new leaf?" The negotiations are critical as they come amid heightened tensions due to the conflict in Lebanon involving Hezbollah and Israel.
The interim agreement, signed the previous week, has a 60-day timeline for finalizing technical details that could have significant implications for global security and the economy. Iranian officials have expressed caution in the negotiations, recalling past interruptions due to military actions against Iran.
Vance's visit was initially delayed due to escalating violence in Lebanon, but he arrived in Switzerland after Iranian negotiators confirmed their attendance. He was accompanied by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who began preliminary discussions on the technical aspects of the nuclear talks.