U.S. Vice President JD Vance, proper, meets with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, throughout high-level talks geared toward advancing a deal to finish the Center East battle, on the Bürgenstock Resort in Obbuergen, close to Lucerne, in Switzerland, Sunday, June 21, 2026.
Nathan Howard/Pool Reuters/AP
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Nathan Howard/Pool Reuters/AP
President Trump has threatened additional assaults on Iran whereas Vice President Vance attended talks with Iranian officers in Switzerland on Sunday.
“Iran should instantly cease their extremely paid PROXIES in Lebanon from inflicting bother. If they do not, we’ll hit Iran very arduous once more, similar to we did final week, solely more durable!!!” Trump wrote in a social media submit on Sunday.
A day earlier, Iran’s army introduced it had closed the Strait of Hormuz due to continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon towards the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah. Iran mentioned the U.S. failure to rein in Israel violated the phrases of final week’s tentative settlement, which specifies that each one combating in Lebanon should finish.
Additionally on Sunday, Vance, who arrived in Switzerland within the early morning, met with representatives from Pakistan who’ve been brokering the talks – together with with the nation’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Workers Area Marshal Asim Munir.
An Iranian crew, mediators from Qatar and Rafael Grossi, chief of the Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company, are additionally attending the conferences.
The talks are targeted on a Memorandum of Understanding that was signed by each the U.S. and Iran final week, however which is already coming beneath intense pressure. Whereas Iran on Saturday mentioned it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command has mentioned transport by the strait was continuing usually.
Additionally beneath dialogue is Iran’s nuclear program, one other controversial matter. On Sunday morning, Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian mentioned: “What is for certain is that we are going to by no means again down from the proper to counterpoint uranium, and the opposite facet can also be pressured to simply accept it”. Iran has insisted its nuclear program is peaceable.
Regardless of saying a ceasefire on Friday, Israeli forces and Hezbollah exchanged heavy fireplace all through Saturday, additional placing strain on the negotiations.
Regardless of the tensions, Vance claimed the talks have been going nicely, telling reporters on Sunday: “We have already made nice progress over simply the previous couple of hours, and I count on that we’ll make extra progress within the hours to come back.”
Vance mentioned there was “nice progress” within the final couple of days and “these items are at all times just a little bit messy” when requested if he had a message for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“There, in fact, are going to be generally disagreements about exactly the way to get there, however I truly really feel nice about the place we’re in Lebanon. There’s nonetheless some extra wooden to cut, however we’ll carry on working,” Vance mentioned.
The Vice President additionally mentioned the U.S. has “executed extra to cease the battle in Lebanon than any authorities wherever on the planet.”
No less than 16 individuals, together with civilians, have been killed by Israeli strikes on Saturday, in keeping with the Lebanese Nationwide Information Company. Israel mentioned the strikes have been a response to Hezbollah firing projectiles at its forces in a single day on Saturday. Hezbollah mentioned it fired in response to Israel transferring towards Lebanese territory.
On Sunday, nonetheless, the interim head of the United Nations Interim Drive in Lebanon instructed NPR that for the primary time for the reason that struggle between Israel and Hezbollah began on March 2, the peacekeeping power has recorded no assaults from both facet.
Neither Israel or Lebanon have signed the Memorandum of Understanding, however the settlement requires respect of Lebanese sovereignty, a provision Iran says the U.S. should implement. It additionally requires a halt to army operations in Lebanon.
NPR’s Jane Arraf contributed to this report.
