US‑Iran Talks Kick Off in Switzerland, Setting Stage for 60‑Day Ceasefire

Fri Aug 07 2026 11:27:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Direct talks begin after an initial peace deal, promising a 60‑day finalisation, a halt on all fronts, and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.

US Vice‑President JD Vance, joined by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, met Iranian leaders Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock to discuss the implementation of a week‑old agreement. The pact calls for a final deal within sixty days, a ceasefire on all fronts—including Lebanon—and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, while also promising a $300 billion reconstruction package and the lifting of all sanctions. Despite the agreement, fire between Israel and Hezbollah continues, and vessels have reported passing through the Hormuz at the weekend, raising questions about the deal’s immediate impact. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir were present as mediators, underscoring the multi‑stakeholder nature of the negotiations. "The U.S. is prepared to transform its relationship with Iran if Tehran abandons regional instability and nuclear ambitions," Vance told reporters, hinting at a broader recalibration beyond the ceasefire timeline.

Direct U.S.–Iran negotiations started Sunday in Switzerland following a preliminary peace deal signed the previous week. The agreement seeks a final settlement within sixty days, an end to combat on all fronts – including Lebanon – and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane for twenty percent of the world's oil and gas. It also earmarks $300 billion for Iran’s reconstruction and calls for the lifting of all sanctions.

Vice‑President JD Vance, accompanied by Jared Kushner and U.S. State Department special envoy Steve Witkoff, met Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at Bürgenstock. The U.S. government urged Iran to relinquish its role as a destabilising regional actor and to abandon nuclear ambitions, while Tehran emphasized enforcement of existing commitments, particularly stopping all military operations.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir also attended, underscoring Pakistan’s mediating role in the conflict. Despite the ceasefire, Israeli air strikes and Hezbollah attacks on Israel continued, with at least sixty-seven Israelis and several Hezbollah members killed since the agreement signed. Iran has accused the U.S. and Israel of violating the ceasefire and threatened to close the Strait again.

Maritime‑tracking data revealed that vessels entered and exited the Hormuz during the weekend, suggesting that the closure was not fully enforced. The U.S. also agreed to lift its blockade on ships heading to and from Iranian ports, while Iran promised to renew the strait’s accessibility.

While the deal resolves several key points, the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program remains to be negotiated, posing a lingering hurdle for the broader resolution of the conflict.