Iranian delegation walks out as Trump threatens new strikes, but US says talks in Switzerland still ongoing
Iran and the United States opened technical negotiations in Bürgenstock on Sunday, overshadowed by a reported Iranian walkout, Donald Trump's threat of renewed attacks, and renewed violence in Lebanon.
Talks begin amid tensions
High-level talks between the United States and Iran began at a resort in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, on Sunday 21 June, with the two sides meeting alongside mediators from Pakistan and Qatar. The meeting follows a preliminary agreement signed earlier in the week that halted hostilities for 60 days and committed both parties to negotiate a comprehensive peace deal. However, the atmosphere was charged after Iran briefly pulled out of a planned Friday session in protest at Israeli military action in southern Lebanon, and Iranian state media on Sunday quoted sources saying the delegation had walked out over a fresh threat from President Trump.
Iran must immediately put an end to the troublemaking by its lavishly paid puppets in Lebanon. If they don't, we will hit Iran again, just like we did last week, but even harder.
A reporter for Axios cited a diplomatic source denying the walkout, insisting talks were still underway. The US delegation is led by Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, while Iran is represented by parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and foreign minister Abbas Araghchi.
The Lebanon sticking point
A permanent end to Israeli strikes on Lebanon is a core Iranian demand, yet Israel’s military chief Eyal Zamir warned on Sunday that the ceasefire with Hezbollah remained fragile. Israel said it destroyed dozens of Hezbollah targets on Saturday after the group fired some 50 projectiles, and around 20 people were killed in south Lebanon according to estimates.
We must stay ready to resume combat operations, avert threats and, if necessary, quickly move to offensive actions.
Iran argues that the interim deal already requires all front-line hostilities, including those in Lebanon, to stop. The US side, according to AP, wants to focus on Iran's long-term nuclear ambitions rather than Lebanon, though Vance played down tensions, describing ceasefire enforcement as "a bit messy”.
- Iran withdraws from planned Friday session in protest at Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
- Iran claims closure of Strait of Hormuz; US denies; about 20 killed in south Lebanon; Hezbollah fires 50 projectiles.
- Talks begin in Bürgenstock; Trump threatens new attacks on Truth Social; Iranian walkout reported then denied.
Strait of Hormuz claim
On Saturday Iran again claimed to have closed the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for Israel's actions, but US forces said maritime traffic continued normally. Shipping data seen by Bloomberg over the weekend showed that millions of barrels of oil transited the waterway even after Iran's announcement, and three fully laden tankers were reported moving through.
If your leadership is willing to stop being an engine of regional instability, if it is willing to give up its long-term nuclear ambitions, then the United States is willing to fundamentally transform our relationship with Iran.
Next steps
Both sides are working against a 60-day deadline, extendable by mutual consent, to negotiate an enduring peace. Key outstanding issues include the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets, a broader Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, and the future of Iran's nuclear programme. The US vice president said the Middle East was at a "turning point" and that the parties could either forge a new path together or revert to old patterns.
