Progress in Iran-U.S. High-Level Talks

High-level discussions between Iran and the United States have made significant progress, according to Vice President JD Vance. He shared these remarks after leaving Switzerland on Monday, where both nations agreed on a road map to finalize an agreement within 60 days to end the ongoing conflict.

“We laid a very good foundation for a successful final deal,” Vance stated during a press briefing before returning to the U.S. “The final deal is the house. We set the foundation. We haven’t built the house, but we’ve laid a successful foundation to get to a good place for the American people,” he elaborated.

Technical negotiations are continuing in Bürgenstock, a mountaintop resort, following a first round of extended talks between senior representatives from both countries. These discussions initially faced difficulties due to President Donald Trump’s renewed threats, leading to cancellations and disruptions.

Vance confirmed that Iran had considered pulling out of the talks following these comments, though he defended Trump’s response. “What we told the Iranians yesterday is when you guys engage in what us millennials might call ‘trash talk,’ you can’t expect the President of the United States not to respond and not to correct the record,” Vance explained.

The talks concluded with a joint statement issued by Qatar and Pakistan, who acted as mediators. The statement emphasized a “constructive atmosphere” and noted that Washington and Tehran have agreed to establish new communication channels to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open and to bring about an end to the conflict in Lebanon.

Vance highlighted that Iran had agreed to allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to re-enter the country.

Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency on Monday reported that the Iranian negotiating team, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has left Switzerland after about 18 hours of intense discussions and consultations.

However, the agency noted that Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, is leading the Iranian team in ongoing technical negotiations. These discussions aim to resolve challenging issues yet to be finalized, such as Iran’s nuclear program.

One key result from Sunday’s talks was the formation of a “High Level Committee” that will politically oversee mediation. This committee agreed on a road map “towards reaching a final deal within 60 days, laying the foundation for the immediate commencement of further technical talks” on nuclear weapons, sanctions, and dispute resolution, according to the joint statement.

The discussions also resulted in establishing a deconfliction line between the parties and Lebanon. Fighting in southern Lebanon between Iranian-backed Hezbollah and Israel has persisted despite the Swiss negotiations.

A communication line has also been set up to prevent “incidents and miscommunication,” facilitating safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil supply route currently blocked.