First round of US-Iran talks in Switzerland called off, clouding prospects for lasting truce

The announcement comes after White House said Vance wouldn’t go to Burgenstock overnight; US official tells Axios delay may be due to Iranian objections to Israel’s strikes in Lebanon

The first round of technical talks under the new US-Iran memorandum of understanding will not take place on Friday, the day negotiations were expected to commence at the Swiss mountain resort of Burgenstock, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said.

The meeting was nixed even though the signing of the MOU set the clock ticking on a 60-day period during which Iran and the US are meant to hammer out a final agreement on sensitive and complex issues such as Iran’s nuclear program.

The reason for the cancellation is unclear, though a US official told Axios that it may be due to Iran’s objections to what it sees as Israeli violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon, where fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group has continued. The deal mandates a ceasefire in Lebanon, and Iran has demanded that Israel withdraw, but Israel has vowed to keep its troops in a buffer zone in the country’s south.

The Swiss announcement came after a White House spokesperson said overnight that US Vice President JD Vance would not depart Thursday night for the talks.

“As the vice president said at his press conference, the plans for the upcoming technical talks with Iran have not been finalized, and the US delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity,” a White House spokesperson said in a statement.

“But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable. As of now the vice president is not departing tonight. We will let you know as soon as we have a concrete update about next steps. We look forward to beginning technical talks as soon as possible,” the statement added.

Vance had said at the press conference, where he railed against Israeli officials’ criticism of the Iran deal and US President Donald Trump, that the planned talks weren’t finalized because it was difficult to get Iranian officials out of Iran. Vance said he thought he would travel to Switzerland at some point this weekend.

Critics of the MOU signed this week have pointed to its provisions on sanctions relief for Iran, including unfreezing Iranian funds and setting up a $300 billion reconstruction fund.

Vance said Thursday that Iran would reap rewards only if it complies with terms set to be hammered out in the 60-day window that he said began on Thursday.