On Sunday (21st), delegations from the United States and Iran held technical-level talks in Switzerland. According to related reports, tensions unexpectedly emerged on the first day of the talks.
As the U.S. President once again issued threats against Iran, the Iranian side strongly protested, causing the negotiations to be temporarily suspended. The latest developments have once again made the situation between the United States and Iran complicated and unpredictable.
June 22 news: On Sunday (21st), delegations from the United States and Iran held technical-level talks in Switzerland, aiming to reach a final agreement to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue and permanently reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This was the first round of talks after the two countries signed the memorandum of understanding, drawing close attention from global markets.
However, related reports indicate that tensions suddenly arose on the first day of the talks. Due to the U.S. President again issuing threats against Iran, the Iranian side strongly protested, leading to a suspension of the negotiations. The latest developments have once again made the situation between the two countries uncertain.
The latest information shows that the U.S.-Iran negotiations remain suspended.
According to reports from CCTV News and other media, citing Iranian sources on the 22nd, a source said that the talks between Iran and the United States in Switzerland began at around 15:00 local time on the 21st. After lasting about one and a half hours, the talks were suspended for a 30-minute recess as delegations needed internal consultations. However, due to Trump’s threatening remarks, the Iranian delegation refused to return to continue negotiations. Nevertheless, Qatar and Pakistan continued their mediation efforts, with Iran and the United States exchanging messages through intermediaries.
Mediation efforts are still ongoing, but no final result has been achieved. During the talks, the Iranian delegation lodged a clear protest against the U.S. side’s violation of its commitments, especially the violation of Article 1 of the memorandum of understanding.
The Iranian delegation also demanded that the United States accelerate the fulfillment of its commitments, including unfreezing Iran’s frozen assets and issuing sanctions waivers for Iran’s oil exports. On the nuclear issue, the Iranian delegation emphasized that the precondition for opening nuclear-related negotiations is that the United States must fulfill its commitments in accordance with Articles 1, 4, 10, and 11 of the memorandum.
Earlier, Iranian sources reported that a source close to the negotiation team revealed that the Iranian negotiating delegation had left the negotiation site in protest against Trump’s threatening remarks.
In addition, there are reports that during the first round of talks, which lasted about 80 minutes, the United States and Iran did not discuss Iran’s nuclear program. This round of negotiations focused on implementing Article 13 of the memorandum of understanding and prioritizing issues related to Lebanon.
According to the official text of the memorandum of understanding recently released by the United States and Iran, the first article declares an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon; commits both sides to refraining from launching wars or military operations against each other in the future, and to not using force or the threat of force; and ensures the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon.
The final agreement will confirm the permanent end of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, as well as other provisions stipulated in this clause.
Iranian side strongly protests According to Iranian sources, the Iranian delegation lodged a protest with the U.S. side over Trump’s remarks, left the meeting venue, suspended the negotiations that had been underway for 80 minutes, and turned to internal consultations. Meanwhile, the head of the Iranian delegation and Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said in a social media post that Iran fundamentally does not take American threats seriously. They had better speak cautiously. “Have they (the Americans) not thought about it themselves? If their threats were truly effective, they would not be so helpless today. We do not take American threats seriously at all. We advise them to choose their words carefully. Our armed forces are fully prepared and will respond in another manner. No matter how loudly they shout, it will be we who take action.” Ghalibaf wrote. Regarding this incident, according to Lebanese sources, Iran’s response is clear: unless Trump apologizes for his threatening remarks and Israeli forces withdraw from southern Lebanon, the Iranian delegation will not return to the negotiating table. It is reported that the negotiation time was extended beyond the original schedule, and whether the Iranian delegation will return to the negotiating table remains unknown. According to the terms of the memorandum of understanding signed by the United States and Iran last week, the two sides have 60 days for negotiations (extendable by mutual consent) to reach a final agreement. However, Sunday’s incident may only be the beginning of a protracted tug-of-war, with both sides set to argue over issues such as Iran’s nuclear capabilities and the lifting of economic sanctions against Iran.
