A new round of US-Iran talks is going on in Switzerland

Mediator country Qatar has announced that US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian officials have begun talks in Switzerland.

In addition to Vance, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are involved in the talks.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are representing Tehran in the talks.

As talks continued in Switzerland, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would remain in a “security zone” in southern Lebanon.

“There has never been, and there is currently no, any prohibition on IDF troops taking action to eliminate threats to Lebanon… As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have made clear: Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon,” Katz said in a statement, referring to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) or the Israeli army.

The so-called Israeli security zone runs for about 10 kilometers (6 mi) into Lebanese territory. Israel remains in the region as a measure to protect northern Israel from the Iran-backed Hezbollah paramilitary group, which Israel and many other countries view as a terrorist organization.

Lebanese officials have described Israel’s security control of southern Lebanon as an occupation and Hezbollah has claimed to have fought off Israeli troops attempting to seize control of the area.

Iran said it would not agree to any comprehensive deal with the US until the conflict in Lebanon ends. Iran has also claimed to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to the ongoing tensions in Lebanon.

US Vice President JD Vance meets Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of talks in Switzerland.

Pakistan is the key mediator that helped facilitate the MoU between the US and Iran.

Switzerland’s Foreign Ministry said all parties concerned have reached Bergenstock for talks.

“The US delegation led by US Vice President JD Vance, the Iranian delegation led by Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Bagher, and mediators from Pakistan and Qatar have arrived in Bergenstock,” the State Department posted on Twitter.

“Talks between the two sides are scheduled to begin today,” the post said.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai had earlier said that quadrilateral talks with the US, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar would take place in the afternoon.

International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi met Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis in Bergenstock, where US-Iran talks are scheduled to take place.

“At this critical moment, it is important to give diplomacy every opportunity to succeed,” Grossi said.

Iran’s uranium enrichment and monitoring of its nuclear sites is a major point of contention between the US and Iran.

“Thank you to Switzerland for its long-standing support of the agency and commitment to multilateral diplomacy,” he said.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei said the main topic of talks between the US and Iranian representatives in Switzerland will be the fighting in Lebanon.

Bakayi accused Israel of violating “its commitments in Lebanon”. Despite the ceasefire, fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah intensified in Lebanon on Saturday.

However, Bakaei said a “fragile end” to the fires in Lebanon had been established since Saturday evening.

Bakaei said other topics on the agenda included freeing up Iranian assets and issuing licenses for the sale of Iranian oil. Oil sales are a major driver of the Iranian economy.

Bakai spoke to Iranian state broadcaster IRNA after an initial meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Swiss Federal Council member Ignazio Cassis, who also serves as foreign minister.

Bakaaei said Iranian officials would also hold talks with Qatari and Pakistani representatives. A quadrilateral meeting is scheduled to be held between America, Qatar, Pakistan and Iran on Saturday afternoon.

US Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Switzerland for talks with Iranian negotiators.

Vance’s office said he and his wife, Usha Vance, arrived at Emmen Air Base, outside Lucerne, just before 6 a.m. local time.

Before boarding his flight, Vance said he hoped “there will be progress on the nuclear issue, there will be progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue.”

Pakistan, a key mediator in the US-Iran talks, confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has left for Bergenstock, Switzerland to attend talks “on the implementation of the Islamabad MoU”.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that high-level delegations from Iran, Qatar and the United States would be part of the talks.

The statement said Sharif will hold bilateral talks with delegations, including Switzerland, “to reaffirm Pakistan’s enduring commitment to dialogue and durable peace in the region.”

Pakistan has positioned itself as a mediator in the current conflict and has hosted talks and acted as a mediator in diplomatic efforts to bring the warring parties together.

US Vice President JD Vance has left Washington for talks with Iran in Switzerland.

“I may only be there for a day or two,” Vance told reporters before departing Joint Base Andrews on Saturday.

“I think we’ll hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue…make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue. I think those are the two big things we should be focusing on,” he said.

Vance’s trip was delayed from Friday after Tehran initially canceled its participation in talks as Israel continued attacks in Lebanon.

Israel confirmed it was shelling Lebanon on Saturday, but accused Hezbollah of breaking the latest ceasefire and later ordered a halt to fighting in southern Lebanon.

On Saturday, Tehran also said it was closing the Strait of Hormuz due to continued Israeli attacks, although the US disputed this, saying Iran did not control the vital shipping channel and traffic continued in the strait.

Sunday’s talks, brokered by Pakistan, are aimed at implementing a framework agreement to end the Iran conflict.

Iran’s delegation is led by Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Iran’s Joint Military Command said on Saturday it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israeli attacks in Lebanon and the US’s “bad faith” and “clear violation of its commitments” by failing to end the fighting in Lebanon.

The deal the US President struck with the Iranian leadership has sparked a sharp reaction from within his Republican Party as key members have raised concerns about sanctions relief and a proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund.

The US and Iran delegations will be in the Swiss mountain resort of Bergenstock.

US Vice President JD Vance left on Saturday to join other members of his delegation, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.

The Iranian delegation was already in Switzerland.

On Saturday, Tehran said it was closing the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli attacks in Lebanon.

We’ll be bringing you the latest updates, videos and expert analysis on the conflict in the Middle East throughout the day.