US–Iran talks conclude in Switzerland with roadmap for deal

Buergenstock, Switzerland/Dubai: The first round of talks between high-ranking U.S. and Iranian officials in Switzerland ended Monday, mediators said, after a tense opening marked by Tehran's announcement that it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. President Donald Trump repeating his threats to resume attacks on Iran. A joint statement from mediating nations Qatar and Pakistan said the U.S. and Iran agreed to a roadmap towards a final deal within 60 days. Technical talks will continue for the rest of the week in the Swiss mountain resort of Buergenstock, according to a statement, which was released by the Qatari foreign ministry. The parties agreed to a mechanism to end the fighting in Lebanon and opened a communications line to help ensure safe passage for commercial ships through the contested strait, the statement said. U.S. Vice President JD Vance began talks with Iranian officials on Sunday under the terms of a memorandum of understanding reached last week to extend a tenuous ceasefire from April for at least another 60 days. The discussions continued until the early hours of Monday. In a post on social media, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said his country had secured waivers for oil and petrochemical exports, the release of some frozen assets, and the launch of a reconstruction and development plan for Iran. The White House had no immediate comment when asked if high-level talks had wrapped up for now. Just before talks officially began on Sunday, Fox News reported that Trump said he told Iranian officials, "you won't have a country" if they tried to close the strait again. Trump also reiterated an earlier threat that the U.S. would take over the waterway and possibly charge a toll of its own, Fox News said. Trump said he agreed to last week's memorandum of understanding to avert a global economic depression from high oil prices caused by the strait's closure. Oil prices had tumbled over the past week to levels unseen since the war started on February 28 with U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran. After the joint statement, Brent crude futures fell further, dropping more than $1 to $79.44 a barrel. At the talks in Switzerland, where U.S. and Iranian officials met in the presence of Qatari mediators, Vance played down the impact of violence in Lebanon, saying progress had been made towards ending hostilities there. "These things are always a little bit messy," he said. Back in the United States, Trump threatened to resume attacks on Iran if it did not rein in its allies. "Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble," Trump wrote on social media, apparently referring to Hezbollah. "If they don't, we'll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!" Even as Trump was threatening Iran, Vance told reporters the U.S. president had "asked us to turn over a new leaf to transform our relationship with the people of Iran." A U.S. diplomat late Sunday said discussions included "clarifying some of the confusing messaging from Iran on the Strait and building deconfliction mechanisms to ensure the Strait will remain fully open."