US-Iran Negotiators Gather In Switzerland For Talks On Permanent Ceasefire

Most waited US-Iran peace talks for a permanent ceasefire set to begin on Sunday as key dignitaries have reached Switzerland.

US Vice President JD Vance arrived in the country at approximately 6 am local time on Sunday to begin talks with Iranian representatives, Bloomberg reported.

"I can only be there for a day or two," Vance told reporters before departing. "I think we’re going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue.

Vance said the goal is to get "the actual structure of negotiation in place," building on technical discussions in Switzerland involving Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, Trump’s two global negotiators.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and military chief Asim Munir are attending the Burgenstock meeting as key mediators. Iran's delegation includes Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Central Bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, state-run IRIB News reported.

The negotiations are occurring within a 60-day window established by a memorandum of understanding that President Donald Trump signed on Wednesday in Paris, though the deal allows for an extension.

Strait of Hormuz Dispute

Iran issued a renewed order to close the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, casting a shadow over the opening of the talks. Despite this, US Central Command reported that commercial traffic increased on Saturday, with 55 merchant ships and over 17 million barrels of oil transiting the strait.

Earlier Saturday, western naval forces said vessels using the corridor could cross at any time and with their satellite signals either on or off.

The memorandum terms require the US to lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports and waive crude oil sanctions, while Iran is pledged to reopen the strait. The waterway serves as a conduit for about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies, though Tehran has warned it will require ships to have its permission and mandatory insurance to cross. The US, Europe and Gulf Arab states have balked at the idea of Iran imposing fees. Trump said on social media on Saturday that there could be no tolls during or after the 60-day negotiation period "unless they are imposed by and for the United States of America."

Lebanon Conflict Complications

Separate clashes in southern Lebanon between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah delayed the initial start of the talks. The fighting prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to state his military intentions. Israel has insisted it will keep troops on its borders until it is sure that Hezbollah, designated a terrorist organisation by the US, is no longer a threat.

Trump has expressed frustration with Netanyahu over previous strikes, suggesting they risked undermining the US-Iran talks.

Vance acknowledged the complications but said that "things are slowing down a little bit" on the ground. "It’s going to be something we’re just going to have to continuously manage to ensure that you know Israel and Lebanon are both safe and secure," Vance said.