Iran Declares 'Major Progress' in US Peace Talks
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- Abbas Araghchi declared 'major progress' in the Switzerland negotiations, crediting 'tireless Pakistani and Qatari mediation' for securing a 'deconfliction cell' to terminate military operations in Lebanon under the newly signed MOU.
- Negotiators agreed to an end to the US blockade on Iran, the release of some of Iran's frozen assets, and a 'major reconstruction and development plan' for Iran, according to Araghchi.
- Iran's delegation left the Swiss venue Sunday after Trump threatened to assassinate Iranian diplomats and 'take over' Iran — a violation of the MOU's clause requiring parties to 'refrain from the threat or use of force against each other.'
- Pakistan and Qatar issued a joint statement announcing a roadmap toward a final deal within 60 days, with technical talks beginning immediately and a new communication line to ensure safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared Israel will not withdraw from the Beaufort security zone in Lebanon, calling it essential for defending Galilee settlements and IDF forces — Israel is not a party to the negotiations.
- The talks opened shakily after a deadly Israeli barrage in southern Lebanon delayed Iran's delegation arrival, and Iran insists the Trump administration must force Israel to end its Lebanon assault.
Why it matters: The mediators' 60-day roadmap sets a concrete clock on a deal that would lift the US blockade on Iran, release frozen assets, and fund reconstruction — but Israel's open refusal to leave Lebanon puts that timeline in direct jeopardy. The deeper contradiction: Trump publicly threatened to 'assassinate' Iranian diplomats while his own envoys were brokering a deal built on a no-threats-of-force clause Iran says was violated.
