Switzerland Prepares for First Rounds of Washington and Tehran Talks

SadaNews: The United States and Iran will begin their first rounds of negotiations on Sunday at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland, after the arrival of the Iranian and U.S. negotiating delegations, along with other delegations moving to participate in the meetings.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry confirmed that the technical talks will commence with the participation of representatives from the United States and Iran, as well as mediators from Pakistan and Qatar, as part of the follow-up on the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed in Islamabad, which paves the way for a 60-day negotiation process, with the possibility of extension by mutual agreement.

The U.S. negotiating delegation, led by envoys Steve Rattner and Jared Kushner, has arrived in Switzerland, while the Iranian delegation, headed by the Speaker of the Parliament, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, Deputy Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Bagheri, along with officials engaged in energy, oil, and foreign affairs, indicating that economic and financial issues will be significantly present on the agenda.

At the same time, U.S. Vice President G.D. Vance has traveled to Switzerland to participate in the meetings, while Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed Islamabad heading to Switzerland at the head of a high-level delegation that includes Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir, to take part in mediation efforts.

The first round is expected to focus on setting up the executive framework for negotiations and mechanisms for implementing the memorandum of understanding, as well as the Iranian nuclear program, sanctions, and navigation security in the Strait of Hormuz.

The convening of the talks comes just hours after rapid developments on the regional scene, as Israel announced a ceasefire in Lebanon, while Tehran had linked its participation to obtaining guarantees regarding a halt to military operations there, before confirming its readiness to participate after stabilizing the truce.

In a sign of the priorities for the first round, Axios quoted two regional sources as saying that the United States seeks for the meetings to conclude with an Iranian invitation for International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to visit Iranian nuclear sites, viewing it as a first step in building trust between the two sides.

Axios added that Washington has expressed willingness to allow Iran access to part of its frozen funds, to be used for humanitarian purposes and the purchase of essential materials.

In return, Tehran emphasized that the success of the talks remains contingent on the United States fulfilling its commitments. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei stated that the Iranian delegation will demand the implementation of the commitments stated in the memorandum of understanding, warning that the agreement will be "at risk" if the other party does not adhere to what it has committed to.

These developments coincided with ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran announced its reclosure to navigation, while the U.S. Central Command confirmed the continuation of commercial shipping and the security of navigation through the strategic maritime corridor.