Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special envoy, is en route to Switzerland for the first round of talks with Iran on a potential nuclear deal, Axios reported on 19/6, citing a US official. Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law and negotiator, is already in Switzerland.
An Iranian source stated that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi intended to arrive in Switzerland on 20/6, though the plan "could still change". Araghchi reportedly told partners on 19/6 that a ceasefire in Lebanon was crucial for Iran and "the make-or-break factor" for the Iran-US talks. Iran wanted to see a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon implemented before its delegation arrived.
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Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (right) and Jared Kushner in Islamabad, Pakistan, on 12/4. *Photo: Reuters*
Qatar Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani, a key mediator between the US and Iran, also arrived in Switzerland on the morning of 19/6. Switzerland had previously announced that talks for a long-term peace agreement between the US and Iran, scheduled to take place at the Burgenstock resort on 19/6, were postponed.
The Tasnim news agency stated that Iranian negotiators needed to see signs of the US fulfilling commitments made in the preliminary agreement before traveling to Switzerland. A White House spokesperson affirmed on the same day that the logistics for talks with Iran "were never simple or predictable".
The moment President Trump signed an agreement with Iran on 17/6. *Video: X/Scavino47*
On 17/6, the US and Iran announced the 14-point agreement they had reached. The document, named "Islamabad Memorandum between the US and Iran", included provisions such as an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, the US lifting its blockade on Iranian seaports, and the establishment of a USD 300 billion reconstruction fund.
The US and Iran agreed to negotiate a final agreement within a maximum period of 60 days, which could be extended by mutual consent. The final agreement would be adopted through a binding resolution by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
