US, Iran set for technical talks in Switzerland, Pakistan says
US Vice President JD Vance (photo: Getty Images)
Technical talks between the United States and Iran are set to take place in Switzerland tomorrow, Sunday, June 21. US Vice President JD Vance is expected to depart for the meeting as early as today, according to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry and CNN.
The Foreign Ministry says the technical-level talks will be held at the Swiss mountain resort of Bürgenstock, with representatives of Pakistan and Qatar serving as mediators.
"Pakistan will continue to facilitate the process in its role as mediator, with a view to advancing the understandings reached under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding," the statement said.
Iran and the United States have both confirmed that they are sending delegations to the Swiss talks, despite ongoing Israeli military actions in Lebanon threatening to derail the diplomatic process.
Meanwhile, a CNN source said US Vice President JD Vance is expected to travel to Switzerland today as part of preparations for the talks. The exact timing of his departure is not yet known.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner are already on site, handling the technical aspects of the negotiations.
"We'll plan the talks when the principals from the Iranian government, also the Qatari and the Pakistani government, arrive. That may happen as soon as tomorrow, but these things are always a little bit in flux," Vance told Fox News when asked about his schedule.
He added that his travel plans, which have changed over the past week, represent a "delicate coordination dance" that must take into account "diplomatic protocols."
CNN also noted that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met today with Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The Pakistani official sought to persuade Iran that it could remain at the negotiating table, as the United States is applying sufficient pressure on Israel to halt strikes in Lebanon.
Notable that the Lebanese conflict has become a key obstacle in the initial 60-day period required for the parties to reach a final agreement to end the war.
US–Iran agreement
Earlier, on the night of June 18, US President Donald Trump said he had signed a framework agreement with Iran. The official signing ceremony was planned for Friday, but the parties reached an agreement earlier.
The document effectively reopened the Strait of Hormuz and gave both countries 60 days to negotiate Iran's nuclear program and reach a final agreement to end the war.
At the same time, Iran today announced that it has closed the Strait again. Meanwhile, Israel is striking Lebanon. Vice President Vance, however, has denied that the waterway is closed.
