US Vice President JD Vance landed in Switzerland on Sunday for technical-level talks with Iran, as reported by CNN, citing an update from his office. The visit follows the signing of a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two sides aimed at ending hostilities in West Asia, with diplomatic efforts continuing over nuclear and regional security issues.
Talks Near Lucerne
Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance departed for Switzerland on Saturday for discussions near Lucerne. Speaking to reporters before departure, Vance confirmed that the Iranian delegation had already arrived and that talks could continue for "a couple of days." He stated, "I can only be there for a day or two. I think we're going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue and make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue. Those are the two big things that I think we're to be focused on. I'm sure the Iranians are going to have issues they'd like to discuss as well."
Lebanon Situation Improving
Addressing the situation in Lebanon amid Israeli strikes, Vance noted that "things are actually getting better there, and things are slowing down a little bit. Marco and the entire team have been actively managing what's going on in Lebanon. Despite the headlines, things are actually getting better there, and things are slowing down a little bit." He emphasized that the broader objective is to prevent escalation and ensure regional stability. "It's going to be something we're just going to have to continuously manage to ensure that Israel and Lebanon are both safe and secure. That's fundamentally the goal of this, to make the whole region safe and secure. The big problem is that you have somebody who will shoot and then somebody who will respond, and you kind of have a chicken-and-egg problem where you've just got to stop the shooting for long enough to get the ceasefire to keep hold; that's what we're going to try to do," he added.
Iranian Delegation Arrives
The Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker and Chief Negotiator MB Ghalibaf, has arrived in Zurich for the first round of technical talks as part of the 14-point MoU, according to Iranian state media Press TV. The negotiation team is named "Minab 168" in honor of the victims of the Minab school incident, which Iranian officials have highlighted in diplomatic messaging. US President Donald Trump and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian virtually signed the MoU on Wednesday, aiming to end hostilities, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and launch broader negotiations, including on Iran's nuclear program.
US Envoys Already in Switzerland
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are already in Switzerland, where the first round of talks on a potential nuclear deal is expected to take place on Sunday, US officials told Axios. The Iranian delegation left Tehran shortly after the Iranian armed forces announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to violations of the ceasefire by Israel in Lebanon, which was an "integral part" of the MoU. Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, also arrived in Switzerland on Friday, as Qatar is considered a principal mediator facilitating contacts between Washington and Tehran.
