Switzerland Insists on Maintaining Confidentiality of Iranian-American Meetings

SadaNews - While Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visits Tehran to persuade officials not to postpone talks with the American side in Switzerland, which were delayed yesterday, a U.S. official confirmed that U.S. envoy Steve Bietkov is heading to Switzerland.

It was also noted that Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, is expected to join the upcoming technical discussions with the Iranians.

The U.S.-Iranian talks are expected to be held at the luxurious mountain resort of Bürgenstock.

The Swiss Foreign Ministry confirmed that diplomats from all parties continue their efforts in Bürgenstock to facilitate negotiations. It stated in a press release, "Diplomats from various countries currently present are continuing their efforts to establish dialogue."

It also clarified that it cannot provide any information regarding the attendees at the resort or the discussions, for reasons of confidentiality.

This comes as the Pakistani Interior Minister arrives in Iran to conduct talks with senior officials, aiming to encourage them to head to Lucerne.

Sources indicated that the Pakistani minister will relay persuasive messages to Tehran to initiate technical discussions with the U.S. It added that Naqvi is on a mission to convince the Iranian delegation not to postpone their participation in the negotiations (the Iranian delegation wishes to delay its trip to Switzerland until after the Ashura ceremonies).

It was pointed out that "if the Iranian side agrees to participate in the negotiations without delay, a senior Pakistani delegation will head to Switzerland."

Meanwhile, it was emphasized that "the main contentious issue in the negotiations now between the American and Iranian sides is Lebanon." It was reported that the Iranian delegation threatened to withdraw from the negotiations if Israel continued its attacks in Lebanon.

Iran's Foreign Ministry indicated yesterday that its delegation's travel to Bürgenstock was postponed in order to ensure the U.S. side's commitment to implement certain provisions, particularly related to halting the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, which has not been achieved. Israel has continued its extensive airstrikes on southern Lebanon since Thursday.

Despite the announcement yesterday, Friday, of an agreement to ceasefire, which took effect in the afternoon, Israeli airstrikes continued for about an hour. They then resumed in the early hours of Saturday and are still ongoing.

Each party (Israel and Hezbollah) blamed the other for violating the ceasefire agreement.