U.S.-Iran Negotiations End, Technical Talks To Continue After Trump Shakes Talks With Threats

OBBUERGEN, Switzerland (AP) — High-level talks in Switzerland aimed at a permanent end to the Iran war ended early Monday; Lower-level talks were planned for the rest of the week after Iran and the United States agreed to create a “de-conflict cell” to address the conflict in Lebanon.

In a statement made by mediators Pakistan and Qatar, it was stated that the cell would include the Lebanese government and “ensure compliance with the termination of military operations in Lebanon.” But it remains unclear whether this will be enough to stop fighting between Iran-backed militia group Hezbollah and Israel, which insists it should be left free to attack militants who have invaded Lebanon and launched attacks on northern Israel.

While the US did not make any comment, Iran praised the work of the mediators.

The talks marked the beginning of a 60-day diplomatic process aimed at reaching a permanent agreement to end the Iran war. However, the conflicts in Lebanon remain one of the most important sticking points.

Meanwhile, Iran insisted that it closed the Strait of Hormuz again over the weekend, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf vital for energy shipments, while the US said traffic was continuing.

Negotiations in Switzerland on Sunday got off to a tense start, with Tehran taking umbrage. US President Donald Trump threat of attack and a warning that the Iranian president should be careful what he says.

“Iran must immediately stop its highly paid PROXYS from causing trouble in Lebanon,” Trump said on social media. “If they don’t do this, we will hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!”

Remote comments on social media and news organizations have complicated the Vice President’s efforts J.D. Vance and Pakistan and Qatar, which acted as mediators to include Iran in the discussions.

“It would be better for them to be careful with their statements,” Iran’s chief negotiator said. Muhammad Bagher QalibafHe said it on X after Trump’s comments. “Our armed forces are ready to respond differently. They can continue to talk, we are the ones who take action.”

But later Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote to X: “The tireless mediation of Pakistan and Qatar has achieved great progress in ending the Lebanon War.” He said the first “real test” of the talks would be whether the conflict prevention cell was successful in stopping the conflict in Lebanon.

Vance and US negotiators, including Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, met with Qalibaf and Araghchi for about 80 minutes, Iranian state media said.

After the meeting, Pakistan and Qatar said lower-level technical talks would continue in Switzerland for the rest of the week. Such talks are aimed at providing the breakthroughs needed for senior officials to return and sign a deal.

The talks Sunday included clarifying what Iran meant by its recent statements regarding the Strait of Hormuz, a senior U.S. diplomat who participated in the talks said on condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. Negotiators also discussed “mechanisms” to keep the strait open and a ceasefire in southern Lebanon implemented, as well as “robust” discussions on the nuclear issue.

Negotiators are a 60-day sprint to reach agreement about technical details that have major implications for the world economy and global security.

“The question before us now is, how much more can we achieve together? Can we turn a new page?” Vance said as negotiations began and asked if they could “permanently change relations in the Middle East.”

US wants Iran locked in negotiations nuclear program There are concerns that it could be used for military purposes, but Iran denies this. Vance also wants Tehran to commit to keeping the door open Strait of Hormuz, Iran claimed to have closed it on Saturday. The United States disputed this, saying shipping traffic continued on Sunday.

However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told the state news agency that Tehran wanted the talks to focus on Iran first. conflict in Lebanon.

The renewed ceasefire signed in Lebanon on Saturday appears to be holding, and the Israeli military announced on Monday morning that it would lift movement restrictions on residents near the Lebanese border; This is another sign of calm.

However, neither Israel nor Hezbollah is a signatory of the US-Iran agreement, and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu He promised to keep his forces in southern Lebanon until any threat to Israel was eliminated. Hezbollah has refused to stop the attacks unless Israel commits to withdraw.

Agreement signed by Trump and Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian It would immediately allow Tehran to freely sell its oil, paving the way for Iran to access billions of dollars of assets currently frozen. A member of Iran’s negotiation team said in a statement to state television that the draft text on “temporary exemption from sanctions on oil and oil derivatives” has been reached.

The agreement also calls for Iran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium believed to be buried beneath nuclear sites targeted in US strikes a year ago.

However, according to Iranian state media, Pezeshkian said in a statement on Sunday that “we will never step back from the right to enrich uranium and the other side has to accept it.”

Trump later warned in a phone interview with Fox News that the Iranian president should be careful what he says and threatened to take over Iran in remarks quoted by a Fox correspondent.

Iran had approached the talks cautiously, given its previous experience in US negotiations on the nuclear issue, which were interrupted by military strikes twice last year.

Vance said he planned to be in Switzerland for “a day or two,” leaving Witkoff and Kushner to handle most of the detailed negotiations. Role in negotiations increased scrutiny just as he was considering his 2028 presidential campaign.

Trump and Vance fell into a trap Harsh criticism from some sections of their own party Republican conservatives liken it to the nuclear deal signed by the Obama administration, which Trump and Republicans insist has done nothing to end Iran’s nuclear program.

It is stated that commercial ships can pass through the Strait of Hormuz free of charge for 60 days in the new agreement, but it does not prevent Iran from imposing fees in the future. Trump on Saturday threatened to impose a US toll if a deal is not reached with Iran within 60 days, insisting the money would be used for “Guardian Angel services to Middle Eastern countries.”

As Americans complain about high gas prices ahead of peak summer travel, the Trump administration is trying to reassure global markets that the war is just a momentary dip in oil prices. Oil futures fell almost 8% after the deal was announced.

Markets are expected to closely monitor the progress of the talks when they open for trading on Sunday evening.

Kim reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, and Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.