[TITLE>Iran Announces Significant Progress in Switzerland Peace Negotiations Amid Regional Tensions]
Iran’s foreign minister stated Sunday that peace negotiations in Switzerland have achieved “major progress” despite military threats from U.S. President Donald Trump and ongoing Israeli operations in Lebanon that could jeopardize the high-stakes talks.
Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s top diplomat, credited Pakistani and Qatari mediation for securing commitments to establish a “deconfliction cell” aimed at ensuring “the termination of military operations in Lebanon,” as outlined in the recently signed memorandum of understanding.
Araghchi further announced agreements on ending the U.S. blockade against Iran, releasing some of Iran’s frozen assets, and implementing “a major reconstruction and development plan” for the country.
The Iranian delegation departed the Swiss negotiating venue Sunday in response to Trump’s threat to assassinate Iranian diplomats and “take over” the Middle Eastern country. These threats violated the MOU terms requiring parties to “refrain from the threat or use of force against each other.”
In a joint Sunday statement, Pakistan and Qatar confirmed that negotiators agreed on “a roadmap toward reaching a final deal within 60 days, laying the foundation for immediate commencement of further technical talks.”
“Additionally, a communication line between the parties has been formed to avoid incidents and miscommunication with the aim of safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement continued. “The mediating parties will continue their efforts to ensure negotiations proceed constructively toward a final agreement.”
The optimistic statements from Iran’s foreign minister and mediators followed a difficult start to formal talks in Switzerland, where Iran’s delegation delayed arrival due to intense Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon the previous week.
Israel’s leadership, which is not a party to the peace negotiations, has refused to end its occupation of Lebanon, presenting a major obstacle to finalizing a deal to conclude the conflict on Iran that the U.S. and Israel launched in late February. Iran has asserted that the Trump administration must compel the Israeli government to cease its assault on Lebanon.
In a Sunday social media post during negotiations in Switzerland, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that “Israel has no intention of withdrawing from the Beaufort, which is an integral part of the security zone in Lebanon and essential for the defense of the Galilee settlements and IDF forces.”
Katz emphasized that Israel’s withdrawal from the security zone in Lebanon remains firm policy.
