BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf concluded an extended round of high-level negotiations in Switzerland on Monday, marking the end of the first phase of talks aimed at securing a lasting end to hostilities between the United States and Iran while laying the foundation for a broader diplomatic agreement.
The discussions, which began on Sunday and continued into the early hours of Monday, were described as difficult but ultimately productive. Although the negotiations were marked by periods of tension and disagreement, both sides managed to reach preliminary understandings on several key issues, paving the way for further technical negotiations later this week.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, mediators Pakistan and Qatar announced that while the initial political dialogue had concluded, expert-level negotiations would continue in Switzerland as diplomats work to transform preliminary agreements into a comprehensive and durable settlement.
The mediators praised what they described as “encouraging progress” during the talks and expressed optimism that continued engagement could produce lasting results. According to a senior U.S. diplomat familiar with the negotiations, the two delegations made advances on several major issues, including the creation of mechanisms intended to ensure the continued operation of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes for global energy supplies.
The discussions also focused on reinforcing the fragile ceasefire involving Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon. Officials hope that preserving the truce will help prevent the wider regional conflict from escalating again while broader diplomatic efforts continue.
Despite those areas of progress, the negotiations were briefly thrown into uncertainty following a series of remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump while the talks were underway. Although Trump was not present at the negotiations, held at a resort near Lake Lucerne, his public statements from Washington quickly became a point of contention.
Iranian state media reported that negotiations were temporarily paused after what it described as “an insulting message by the U.S. President.” The comments reportedly angered Iranian officials and created fresh uncertainty over whether the talks would continue.
Nevertheless, according to the senior U.S. diplomat, the Iranian delegation remained at the negotiating venue after the brief interruption, allowing discussions to resume and eventually conclude later on Monday.
Following the completion of the first round of talks, Iranian state television reported that members of Tehran’s delegation departed the summit venue and traveled to Zurich Airport for their return flight to Tehran.
Although President Trump did not participate directly in the negotiations, his influence remained significant throughout the process. His administration was represented by Vice President JD Vance, while Iranian negotiators included parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The talks form part of a broader diplomatic effort launched after last week’s interim agreement between Washington and Tehran designed to halt direct hostilities and create a 60-day window for negotiating the future of Iran’s nuclear program.
Before negotiations began, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed Tehran’s position that it would never abandon what it considers its legitimate right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes. Iran has consistently denied accusations that it seeks to develop nuclear weapons, insisting its nuclear activities remain civilian in nature.
President Trump, however, adopted a tougher tone before and during the negotiations. In a phone interview with Fox News on Sunday, he warned President Pezeshkian to be cautious about his public statements and suggested the United States could take control of Iran if circumstances deteriorated further.
Trump also used social media to issue additional warnings while negotiators were meeting in Switzerland, demanding that Iran immediately halt the activities of its allied militant groups in Lebanon. He warned that failure to do so could trigger another round of powerful U.S. military action.
While the political leadership held the high-level discussions, much of the detailed negotiating work has been delegated to Trump’s envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who are leading technical discussions on behalf of the United States.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later wrote on social media that Pakistani and Qatari mediators had helped achieve significant progress toward ending the conflict involving Lebanon. However, he cautioned that the true measure of success would be whether the newly proposed mechanisms could permanently stop fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
One of the central issues addressed during the talks involved the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian military officials announced over the weekend that they had once again closed the vital waterway in response to continued fighting in Lebanon, although U.S. Central Command has disputed that claim.
The future of Iran’s nuclear program remains the most complex issue facing negotiators during the 60-day diplomatic period established under last week’s interim agreement. Alongside nuclear restrictions, negotiators are also expected to address the release of frozen Iranian assets and several other longstanding disputes that have complicated relations between the two countries for years.
Iranian officials have made clear that their immediate priority is securing a lasting end to the fighting in Lebanon before moving toward broader discussions on nuclear issues and sanctions.
Meanwhile, the renewed ceasefire in Lebanon appeared to be holding on Monday. Israel announced it would ease movement restrictions for communities near the Israel-Lebanon border, reflecting increased confidence that the truce was stabilizing. Although neither Israel nor Hezbollah is formally a party to the U.S.-Iran agreement, both sides have largely observed the latest ceasefire.
Lebanon also experienced a relatively calm night, with no Israeli airstrikes reported after Sunday’s quiet period. Hezbollah likewise has not announced any attacks on Israeli forces since Saturday, marking the longest sustained lull in hostilities since the latest conflict between Israel and the group erupted on March 2.
Diplomats hope the continued calm on the ground, combined with ongoing technical negotiations in Switzerland, will create momentum toward a broader agreement capable of reducing tensions across the region and resolving one of the Middle East’s most dangerous geopolitical confrontations.
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