29 minutes agoSwitzerland Confirms Postponing US-Iran Talks
Periskopi(2 days ago)
(2 days ago)Talks between the United States and Iran, which were meant to take place on 19 June in the mountainous resort of Burgenstock, will not be conducted as planned, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said through an announcement Friday.
The “Talks planned between the US, Iran, Qatar and Pakistan have been postponed”, the report said.
“Switzerland remains ready to facilitate these talks. Preparation work in Burgnstock is continuing. Currently cannot be offered any more”, added.
The announcement comes after a White House spokesman said during the night that US Vice President JD Vance has cancelled the planned trip to Switzerland, where he was scheduled to meet with Iranian negotiators to start talks on a peace deal to end the war.
The White House cited logistical challenges to delaying Vance's trip.
Citing <x0logic issues”, the White House said US Vice President JD Vance has postponed his trip to Switzerland for direct talks with Iran, which were meant to be held on 19 June.
The June 19th talks were set to start two days after the presidents of both states signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war in the Middle East.
“The logistic of these negotiations has never been simple or predictable”, a White House spokesman was quoted as saying, reported The late 18 June AFP.
So far, the vice president is not leaving tonight. We look forward to starting technical negotiations as soon as possible”.
Earlier, Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that “nothing was confirmed” regarding Tehran delegation's trip to Switzerland.
Iranian media quoted unconfirmed reports, under which Tehran has postponed sending the negotiating team due to continuing Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump, and his Iranian counterpart, Masud Peschian, signed a framework agreement on June 17th aimed at ending the war of nearly four months.
Under the initial agreement, Tehran and Washington have 60 days to reach a final agreement, which includes restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme and the removal of US sanctions on the Islamic Republic. The deal also includes Iran's request that Israel halt attacks on Lebanon.
At a media conference on June 18th, Vice President Vance told reporters that the 60-day deadline for reaching a final agreement between the US and Iran had already begun.
I can say that the 60-day period officially starts today”, Vance said.
Initially it was proposed that the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding be held on June 19th in Geneva, where US Vice President JD Vance was expected to participate on behalf of the US, along with top diplomats from both countries.
However, Trump and PESkian suddenly signed the memorandum of understanding digitally on 17 June.
Later, attention was focused on technical talks expected to take place in Geneva, where negotiators will try to turn the memorandum of understanding into a detailed implementation plan.
“Meeting this weekend in Switzerland will be highly critical”, a senior American official said, adding that any failure of one side to meet expectations must become apparent “within days or weeks, not months”.
The war began after the US and Israel launched an air campaign against Iran on 28 February. Later, the parties reached a fragile ceasefire in April. The American president has said Iran will not have a nuclear weapon, as he has recently warned that if the Islamic Republic does not re-launch “illes well” it could resume the attacks. / REL/
