New round of US-Iran talks underway in Switzerland

In an interview with conservative US broadcaster Fox News, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said 67 ships went through the Strait of Hormuz yesterday. 

"The day before, it was 55 ships. In terms of oil and oil products — about equal to where we were before the conflict," Wright said. 

Wright said traffic is "flowing through the strait quite nicely" due to a US military presence.

He said Iran has not yet demined a central shipping channel in the Strait but claimed the US opened a separate one down south. Wright said the US military had been escorting ships through the southern channel.  

Wright's statements come after Iran claimed it had shut down Hormuz due to fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah. The US has rejected Iran's statement that Hormuz is closed.  

Amid the talks in Switzerland, President Trump took to his Truth Social platform to threaten Iran.

"Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble," Trump said, presumably a reference to Hezbollah. 

"If they don't, we'll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!"   

US Vice President JD Vance, who is present at the talks, lauded the "historic meeting" between the US and Iranian representatives to implement the Memorandum of Understanding.   

"What we're trying to accomplish is through diplomacy to work together to transform the Middle East," Vance said.

He said Iran has been "driver of regional instability" but noted the talks could lead to this no longer being the case. US President Donald Trump asked us to turn over a "new leaf" in the US relationship with Iran, Vance explained. 

"We have made great progress in the last few hours," Vance claimed.    

US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian officials have begun negotiations in Switzerland, mediator country Qatar has announced.  

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

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

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is present at the talks as well and involved in mediation. 

As talks in Switzerland are getting underway, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces will remain in a "security zone" in southern Lebanon. 

"There has never been, and there is currently no restriction on IDF soldiers in Lebanon from acting to eliminate threats... 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 Israeli military. 

The so-called Israeli security zone runs roughly 10 kilometers (6 miles) into Lebanon's territory. Israel is remaining in this area 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 over southern Lebanon as an occupation and Hezbollah has claimed that it has fought back Israeli troops to seeking to expand control over the area.

Iran said it would not agree to a broader deal with the US unless the conflict in Lebanon ends. Iran has also claimed to have closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to continued tensions in Lebanon.

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

Pakistan is the key mediator that helped facilitate the Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran.   

Switzerland's Foreign Ministry said all relevant parties have arrived in Bürgenstock for talks. 

"The US delegation, led by US Vice President JD Vance, the Iranian delegation, led by the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher, and the mediators, Pakistan and Qatar, have arrived arrived at the Bürgenstock," the foreign ministry posted on X. 

"Talks between the parties are set to begin today," the post added. 

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei earlier said that quadrilateral talks with the US, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar would happen in the afternoon.

Interational Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi met with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis in Bürgenstock where the US-Iran talks are slated to take place.   

"At this critical moment, it's important to give diplomacy every opportunity to succeed," Grossi said.

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

"Thanks to Switzerland for its longstanding support of the Agency and its commitment to multilateral diplomacy," he added.   

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

Baqaei accused Israel of violating its "commitment in Lebanon." Fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah ramped up in Lebanon on Saturday despite a truce. 

However, Baqaei said a "fragile cessation" of fire in Lebanon has been established since Saturday evening. 

Other topics on the agenda include unfreezing Iranian assets and the issuing of licenses for the sale of Iranian oil, Baqaei explained. Oil sales are a major driver of the Iranian economy. 

Baqaei spoke with Iranian state broadcaster IRNA after an initial meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi and Ignazio Cassis, a member of the Swiss Federal Council who also serves as foreign minister.

Baqaei said Iranian officials would also hold dialogue with Qatari and Pakistani representatives. Later on Saturday afternoon, a quadrilateral meeting is set to take place between the US, Qatar, Pakistan and Iran. 

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

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

Before boarding his flight, Vance said he hoped to "make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue."

Pakistan, a key mediator in US-Iran talks, confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had left for Bürgenstock, Switzerland, to participate in the talks "on the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding."

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 went on to say that Sharif would hold bilateral talks with the 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 ongoing conflict and has hosted talks and served as an intermediary in diplomatic efforts to bring the warring parties together. 

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

"I can only be there for a day or two," Vance told reporters before departing from Joint Base Andrews on Saturday.

"I think we're going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue ... make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue. Those are the two big things that I think we're to be focused on," he said. 

Vance's trip was delayed from Friday after Tehran initially canceled its participation in the talks as Israel continues strikes in Lebanon.

Israel confirmed that it was firing at 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 over Israel's continued strikes, although the US disputed this, saying that Iran did not control the vital shipping channel and that traffic in the strait was continuing.

Brokered by Pakistan, Sunday's talks aim to implement a framework deal to end the Iran conflict.

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

Iran’s joint military command said on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed again, citing Israeli attacks in Lebanon and US “bad faith” and “its clear breach of its commitments” by failing to end fighting in Lebanon.

The deal the US president struck with Iranian leadership has triggered a backlash from within his Republican Party as prominent members raise concerns about sanctions relief and a proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund.

Delegations from the US and Iran will be in the Swiss mountain resort Bürgenstock.

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

The Iranian delegation was already in Switzerland.

Saturday saw Tehran say it was closing the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli strikes in Lebanon.

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