Negotiations scheduled between the United States and Iran for this Friday (19), in Switzerland, were canceledaccording to the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting, which would be held at the Burgenstock resort, would mark the beginning of discussions on the agreement signed this week between Washington and Tehran to end the conflict. The suspension occurred after the White House confirmed that the American Vice President, JD Vance, abandoned his trip to meet with Iranian representatives.
Although the ceasefire came into force after the signing of the initial understanding by the presidents of both countries on Wednesday (17), there are still several pending points for the construction of a definitive agreement. The document released by the United States provides for an initial period of 60 days for negotiations, a period that could be extended for another two months if there is no consensus.. Among the main commitments are the guarantee that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons, the relief of economic sanctions imposed by Washington and financial compensation mechanisms for the Iranian government.
The conversations, however, face relevant obstacles. One of the main impasses involves the Iranian nuclear issue. Tehran insists that its program has a peaceful purpose and conditions any additional limitations on security guarantees and the end of sanctions that have affected its economy for decades.. Negotiators will also need to define the future of the country’s enriched uranium stockpile and set limits on the level of enrichment allowed. Currently, estimates indicate that Iran has around 11 tons of uranium, including hundreds of kilograms enriched to 60%.
Another sensitive topic is the situation in Lebanon. The Iranian government demanded that the ceasefire also cover Lebanese territory, where Israel maintains military operations under the argument of fighting Hezbollah, a group allied with Tehran.. Despite this, Israel did not adhere to the agreement and has already signaled that it intends to keep troops in a strip of southern Lebanon indefinitely. The continuity of military operations has generated friction between Washington and Tel Aviv. On Thursday (18), JD Vance criticized the Israeli reaction to the agreement with Iran, fueling speculation about differences between the two allies.
The Strait of Hormuz appears as one of the few topics where there is concrete progress.a period in which Iran committed to fully restoring navigation in the region, and something that is already in force, according to Tehran officials. The maritime route is strategic for global oil and gas trade, and its prolonged interruption could cause significant impacts on international markets. Before the agreement, Tehran considered charging tolls on oil tankers to finance the reconstruction of areas affected by the war, a proposal rejected by the United States.
