New details about the ongoing US-Iranian negotiations in Switzerland revealed that the Lebanese file topped the sensitive discussions between the two parties, at a time when both sides are seeking to develop a road map for a new nuclear agreement within a period not exceeding 60 days.
According to a report by journalist Barak Ravid on the Axios website, American and Iranian negotiators held marathon negotiating sessions that continued until late hours of Sunday night in the Swiss Lake Lucerne region, in an attempt to launch a 60-day negotiating path to reach a new nuclear agreement.
The report indicated that the continuation of negotiations for long hours reflects the commitment of both parties to continuing the dialogue despite the continuing fundamental differences between them, and may also constitute an entry point to broader discussions related to regional security.
The American delegation was headed by Vice President J.D. Vance, with the participation of White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, while the meetings continued despite Iran’s announcement, on Saturday, of closing the Strait of Hormuz in protest of what it described as Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.
With the start of the negotiations on Saturday, US President Donald Trump made a series of threats to Iran via the “Truth Social” platform and in an interview with the “Fox News” network.
Although Iranian officials rejected these statements publicly, they raised the issue during closed meetings, considering that the American threats constitute a violation of the first clause of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two sides, which stipulates refraining from threatening to use force during the negotiation period.
The report quoted a source from one of the mediating countries and an American diplomat that Iranian officials informed the journalists accompanying them that they withdrew from the talks in protest against Trump’s statements, but the negotiations continued virtually throughout the day.
An American diplomat revealed that one of the basic files discussed during the meetings was “mechanisms to prevent friction in Lebanon and ensure the implementation of the ceasefire,” against the backdrop of the ongoing clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli army in southern Lebanon.
A source from one of the mediating countries described the discussions related to Lebanon as “tense.”
The discussions also covered all elements of the nuclear agreement, in addition to the Strait of Hormuz issue and Iranian statements regarding its possible closure.
The American diplomat said: “We made clear that we want to ensure that the Strait remains completely open, and we have made good progress in this file.”
For his part, another diplomat who participated in the meetings described the negotiations as “difficult but good,” noting that the two sides had reached a preliminary framework that would guide the technical talks in the coming weeks.
The report added that the negotiations also focused on the mechanisms for implementing the memorandum of understanding and ensuring all parties’ commitment to it, in addition to setting a framework for continued communications between political leaders and technical teams.
According to American sources, representatives of the United States, Iran, Qatar, and Pakistan expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved during the meetings, while the mediators played an essential role in bringing points of view closer together.
In parallel, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote on the “X” platform that the Qatari and Pakistani mediators had achieved “significant progress to end the Lebanon war.”
He added that Iran obtained exemptions related to the export of oil and petrochemical products, and part of the frozen Iranian assets was released, which is information that the American side has not confirmed yet.
Araqchi described the establishment of a special mechanism for Lebanon as “the first real test” of the agreement.
In the joint statement issued at the conclusion of the Lucerne Summit, the Qatari and Pakistani mediators announced that “encouraging progress” had been achieved during 18 hours of negotiations.
The statement explained that the United States and Iran agreed to establish a higher committee to politically supervise the negotiations, in addition to working groups specialized in the nuclear file, sanctions, and dispute settlement mechanisms.
A road map was also agreed upon, aiming to reach a final agreement within 60 days.
The mediators also announced the establishment of a special “line of communication” for the Strait of Hormuz that will continue to operate throughout the negotiations, with the aim of preventing accidents and miscalculations and ensuring the safety of commercial shipping traffic.
As for Lebanon, the two sides agreed to establish a “prevention cell” that includes the United States, Iran, Lebanon, and mediators, with the aim of ensuring commitment to stopping military operations in the Lebanese arena.
The American and Iranian technical teams are scheduled to remain in Switzerland throughout the week to complete the negotiations, an indication that the Lebanese file has become a direct part of the broader regional understandings being drawn up between Washington and Tehran.
