Iranian Delegation Arrives in Switzerland for High-Stakes Talks with the United States

The Iranian delegation arrived in Switzerland ahead of talks with the United States that are due to begin today, Sunday, at the Bürgenstock resort. The sides are trying to turn their latest memorandum of understanding into a more detailed deal covering nuclear, economic and security issues.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the delegation includes Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Supreme National Security Council deputy chief Ali Baqeri Kani, Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, Deputy Oil Minister Hamid Pourd, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi and Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei. Baghaei said the team will seek mechanisms to implement U.S. commitments and practical steps from Washington in the next phase.

Baghaei said Iran has already fulfilled its obligations and now expects the United States to do the same, including action to stop Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which Tehran considers part of the existing understandings. He warned that “failure to implement commitments will jeopardize the understanding,” adding that Iran’s policy is based on the principle of “commitment to commitment.”

The Iranian arrival followed the landing of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Switzerland, while U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance left Washington last night for the meetings. Before departing, Vance voiced optimism that progress was possible, said his trip could last “only a day or two,” and described two parallel tracks, Iran’s nuclear issue and consolidating the Lebanon ceasefire to prevent the recent understandings from collapsing. He said Washington wants to stop any new escalation in Lebanon and prevent Israel from carrying out fresh strikes that could undermine diplomacy.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry also said talks would start today with delegations from the United States, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar, and that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir would join the discussions. Pakistan’s interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, visited Tehran earlier in the week and met Araghchi, bringing encouraging messages to keep the negotiations moving. This round is seen as the first real test of the U.S.-Iran memorandum, with the international focus on whether it can address disputes over Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions and regional security arrangements within the 60-day negotiating deadline.