The Albany Gazette - US, Iran set for talks as Lebanon conflict threatens deal

Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding earlier in June to extend the ceasefire in the Middle East war, which began in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, and enable negotiations on a broader deal.

As part of the agreement, the Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon was due to stop, but Iran said it would close the Strait of Hormuz again because of Israeli attacks. There were no reports of fresh strikes in Lebanon since Saturday evening.

US Vice President JD Vance arrived at the Swiss mountainside resort of Burgenstock early on Sunday to meet Iranian negotiators for the second time since the months-long conflict sowed chaos across the Middle East and rattled the global economy.

"I think we're going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue. Those are the two big things that I think we're to be focused on," Vance told reporters before departing from Joint Base Andrews, saying he could only join the talks "for a day or two."

The Swiss foreign ministry said both US and Iranian delegations, plus mediators Pakistan and Qatar, were all present at the luxury resort, with talks set to begin later on Sunday morning.

The talks are meant to trigger a two-month period to negotiate the terms of a final deal between the foes, including issues such as Iran's nuclear programme and crippling sanctions on the Islamic republic.

There remained scepticism from Tehran, however, with Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, posting on X that "the enemy has shown itself to be a promise-breaker".

"One should be cautious; any optimism will be exploited by the enemy," he said.

- Switzerland push -

An Iranian delegation led by top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Switzerland late Saturday, while Pakistani mediators landed in the country on Sunday.

Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the delegation would "demand implementation of the other party's commitments" under the deal.

"Otherwise, the entire understanding will be in trouble," he said, the official news agency IRNA reported.

Islamabad said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir would take part alongside Qatari mediators.

US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were already in Switzerland handling "some of the technical elements" and had reported that "things are going well", Vance said in an interview with Fox News earlier Saturday.

Follow-up talks had been planned for Friday but were postponed after Israel launched deadly strikes in Lebanon following the deaths of four of its soldiers in combat there.

Washington announced a renewed ceasefire in the country later on Friday, but Israeli troops again clashed with Hezbollah fighters the following day, with each side accusing the other of breaking the truce.

Citing a US "breach of contract" and "the Zionist regime's continuous and relentless violation of the ceasefire in southern Lebanon", Iran's central military command said "the Strait of Hormuz will be closed to vessel traffic".

The strait, a key conduit for oil and gas shipments, has been blockaded by Tehran since early in the war, sending shockwaves through energy markets.

US Central Command said after Iran's announcement that safe passage through the international waterway had "remained intact".

- Lebanon truce frays -

Israel and Hezbollah however continued trading accusations on Saturday as fighting persisted in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military said a soldier was killed in combat, the fifth such fatality since the US-Iran deal was reached.

An Israeli army official later said the military had received orders from the country's political leadership to cease fire, adding that troops were "not conducting proactive strikes" but operating defensively inside a security zone.

Hezbollah accused Israel of carrying out "under the cover of the ceasefire... an infiltration attempt towards the Ali Taher hills".

Lebanese state media reported Israeli air raids on around 20 locations, with authorities counting more than 30 dead. The overall death toll from the fighting in Lebanon had surpassed 4,000, the health ministry said.

Hezbollah pulled Lebanon into the wider Middle East conflict in early March when it fired rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.

A previous ceasefire meant to take effect in Lebanon in April was never honoured, with each side justifying its attacks by citing alleged violations by the other.

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(L.Thomas--TAG)