“No agreement with the United States is possible without peace in,” he warned shortly before , a few days after the signing of a draft agreement between Washington and Tehran to end hostilities in the Middle East.
Sunday’s talks, held in the luxury resort of Burgenstock, are the first formal contact under the terms of the memorandum of understanding agreed a week ago. The specific framework provides for a 60-day transitional period of negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program and the lifting of international sanctions, with the ultimate goal of a final peace agreement, an end to hostilities on all fronts (including Lebanon, where Israel invaded in March) and the opening of the Straits of Hormuz.
The next phase “freezes”, with Lebanon at the center
However, with the fighting continuing unabated, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmail Baghai, clarified via the X network: “Without the implementation of these terms – especially Clause 1 which provides for an end to the war on all fronts – it is not possible to enter the phase of negotiating a final agreement.”
The Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to follow the execution of the obligations of the other side with obsession and seriousness.
Today’s meeting in Switzerland is to follow up on the implementation of the memorandum of understanding on ending the war dated June 28, 1405. According to paragraph 13 of the memorandum of understanding, the start of final agreement negotiations depends on the implementation of paragraphs 1, 4, 5, 10 and 11.
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX)
According to Iran’s IRNA news agency, the situation in Lebanon is at the top of the agenda, with Tehran accusing the “Zionist regime” of violating its commitments and the US of not putting the necessary pressure on its ally.
At the same time, Baghai said that the talks, which will last only one day, will be limited to the implementation of the memorandum itself and to issues such as the release of frozen Iranian assets and oil exports. Iranian President Massoud Pezheskian has expressed optimism that restoring access to these financial resources can boost the country’s economy.
Shortly before the start, Pezeskian was quick to stress that Iran is not seeking to acquire an atomic bomb, but insists on its right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes, as guaranteed by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Also in Switzerland is the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, who is expected to undertake the verification of any future nuclear deal.
Intervention by Donald Trump
The climate of the negotiations was even more dynamited by the extraordinary, particularly aggressive post of the American President Donald Trump, who addressed an ultimatum to Tehran, threatening it with immediate military reprisals if it does not contain Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Thriller with the Straits of Hormuz and oil markets
In the field of the global economy, there is alarm. The Revolutionary Guard Corps, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire. Fars news agency, citing a military source, reported that the Iranian navy is not issuing new transit permits for any ships until further notice.
claiming that 55 merchant ships passed through the straits on Saturday, commercial ship tracking data indicates that Iran has indeed suspended shipping, as no vessels transmitting their signal were recorded passing through after the announcement, except for those bound for Iranian ports.
This development threatens to overturn the . The closure of the straits for nearly four months had caused the biggest disruption in the history of global energy supplies. US President Donald Trump had said that he concluded last week’s memorandum precisely to prevent a global economic recession. After the initial deal was announced, oil prices had fallen to pre-war levels, but the new “bloc” could completely reverse the picture when markets open on Monday.
The background of the meetings
The US and Iranian delegations first met with mediators from Qatar and Pakistan, ahead of the quadrilateral conference.
US Vice President Jay D. Vance, accompanied by envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, appeared briefly to reporters during his meeting with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the country’s army chief Asim Munir in a particularly warm atmosphere of handshakes and hugs.
Before his departure, Vance had expressed modest optimism: “I think we hope to make progress both on the nuclear issue and on the ceasefire issue in Lebanon.”
Chaos in Lebanon
Despite the repeated announcements of a truce – with the latest one on Friday – the situation in Lebanon remains dramatic. More than a million people have been displaced by the Israeli invasion.
On Saturday, Lebanese authorities said 20 people had been killed by Israeli strikes, which have turned entire areas into rubble reminiscent of the Gaza Strip.
At least five people were killed in Israeli airstrikes and drone attacks in southern Lebanon on Saturday.
— Clash Report (@clashreport)
The only glimmer of hope was the image of hundreds of residents returning to their homes in southern Lebanon on Sunday, queuing on the highway and waving Hezbollah flags.
Poll-shock in Israel
At the same time, Trump’s war memorandum, which he hammered out with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in February, is proving extremely unpopular inside Israel, with the Netanyahu government refusing to withdraw from the Lebanese territories it has seized.
A new, revealing poll conducted by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Agam Institute (June 17-20, in a sample of 3,644 people) brings to light the deep disillusionment of Israeli public opinion:
- 92% of respondents believe that Iran came out stronger or gained more from the military confrontation, while only 8% see Israel as the winner. Among Netanyahu’s right-wing voters, this percentage reaches 93%.
- 83% believe Israel’s long-term security has weakened.
- 63% reject the Iran-US agreement protocol (only 12% approve).
- 72.5% say they do not believe Netanyahu’s triumphant proclamations, with 56% calling his administration “failed” or “mediocre”. Support for him to stay in power collapsed to 29% (from 40.5% in March).
Despite dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the issue, the survey highlights a tough public stance on security, with 48% of Israelis in favor of a large-scale military strike in Lebanon against Hezbollah, even if it causes a rift in relations with Washington, with just 21% disapproving.
Trump and Netanyahu’s initial campaign goals of completely destroying Iran’s nuclear program, neutralizing its proxies and toppling Tehran’s government appear far from reality, despite assurances from US officials that a strong final deal remains possible.
