US Vice President JD Vance said Sunday there was an opportunity to “turn over a new leaf” with Iran as the sides held talks aimed at building out the interim deal to end the war in Iran reached by the two sides last week.
Vance and U.S. negotiators met with Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at a Swiss mountainside resort near Lake Lucerne. Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar were also in the room for the direct engagement that, according to Iranian state media, lasted about 80 minutes. The U.S. and Iranian negotiating teams also held separate private talks with Pakistani and Qatari officials.
The US is looking to get Iran locked into negotiations over its nuclear program amid concerns it may be used for military purposes, which Iran denies. Vance also wants to push Tehran to commit to keeping open the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway through which about a fifth of world traded oil passes.
But the on-again, off-again conflict in Lebanon between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants continues to threaten to derail the effort for the U.S. to win concessions from Tehran on its nuclear program and keep the strait open.
“The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together? Can we turn over a new leaf?” Vance said as the talks, dubbed the “Lake Lucerne Summit,” got underway.
“Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently, or do we go back to doing things the old way, which is not our preference, but is certainly very much something that can happen.”
Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that the opening day talks focused on frozen assets and oil sanctions.
“In the negotiations, we discussed the issue of our frozen assets and the arrangements for their release,” Hussein Gurbanzadeh, a member of Iran’s team negotiating with the ?US, told state television.
He added that discussions had focused on sanctions relief tied to Iran’s energy sector.
“In Switzerland, we discussed the temporary exemption from sanctions on oil and its derivatives, and the final draft of a proposal on this matter has been completed.”
Moreover, the leaders of Pakistan, the United States, and Qatar on Sunday expressed strong hope that the Bürgenstock talks would play a role to promote global peace, international security, and economic prosperity around the globe.
Talking to media before the start of technical level talks between Iran and the United States in continuation of the Islamabad Memorandun of Understanding (MoU), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, US Vice President JD Vance, and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, strongly emphasized that the joint collaborative diplomatic efforts marked the beginning of a vital process to build a sustainable future and achieve an agreement for global stability.
Being hosted and mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, the talks are meant to iron out the details of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between US and Iran to cease hostilities and negotiate a framework for a durable solution to regional peace and stability.
In his remarks, PM Shehbaz expressed the hope that the discussions between the United States and Iran would lead to positive results and produce a document that would further the cause of peace, progress and prosperity around the globe.
US Vice President JD Vance, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and other members of different delegations including Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi and Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar were also present on the occasion.
Prime Minister Shehbaz said the talks were crucial for peace and prosperity in region, adding the crisis created huge challenges for the world. He thanked the US President Donald Trump for his visionary and dynamic leadership which resulted in the meeting in Switzerland.
He lauded US President J D Vance for his leadership during the talks. He also appreciated the Prime Minister of Qatar and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their outstanding role and consistent efforts. He said the leadership from the participating countries could create lasting peace in the world through these talks.
“I think together all these efforts have culminated here in this wonderful, humanistic Bürgenstock. It’s really very wonderful to be here. Hopefully, when we go back to our homes, we’ll have some wonderful paper in our hands which will promote peace, progress, and prosperity around the globe,” he remarked. US Vice President JD Vance appreciated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their leadership role and sustained efforts for peace.
Separately, President Donald Trump has warned of attacking Iran again if it does not stop what he calls its proxies in Lebanon, to stop “causing trouble” as Israel continued bombing Hezbollah locations despite a ceasefire.
“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble,” Trump said on his social platform, Truth Social.
Trump, in his post, added: “If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!”
Iran’s Tasnim news agency, citing a source close to the negotiating team, reported on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz would not be reopened as long as a ceasefire in Lebanon was not respected.
The source said the waterway would also remain closed until waivers allowing the sale of Iranian oil were issued.
Responding, Iran’s delegation walked out of the Swiss venue.
“The delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, after meeting with the Qatari delegation as one of the mediating parties, left the building where the negotiations were being held,” Iran’s state news agency IRNA said.
A diplomat with knowledge of the talks, however, told AFP that the Iranians had not quit the negotiations.
“The Iranian delegation remains engaged in the talks and has not indicated to the mediators any intention to leave,” the diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
Trump had earlier threatened to strike Iran if it did not “immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble”.
Iran hit back with a warning of its own.
“They would do better to be careful with their statements; our armed forces are ready to respond to them in a different manner. No matter what they say, we are the ones who act,” Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said.