Iranian Official Says Nuclear Talks Were Paused, Not Ended, After US Pressure

An Iranian official told Reuters on Sunday that negotiations were suspended, but not terminated, after the Iranian delegation walked out of talks in Switzerland. The message was meant to cool reports of a breakdown after the latest round of tensions triggered by Donald Trump’s threats.

Shortly before the walkout, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that the delegation had issued an ultimatum: all talks would stop unless Israel fully withdrew from Lebanon and the war ended across all fronts. The delegation also warned that if Israeli strikes on Hezbollah continued, Iran would take “more severe action.”

Earlier on Sunday, Trump escalated his rhetoric toward Iran and made a fresh direct threat tied to Hezbollah’s activity in Lebanon. In a post on his social network, he said Tehran must immediately stop its regional proxies or face another American attack. “Iran must stop the proxy groups in Lebanon, the highly paid proxies, from causing trouble. If they do not, we will strike Iran again very hard, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” he wrote.

Trump’s comments followed a Fox News interview in which he said he “holds all the cards” against the Iranian regime and warned that if no progress is made in the Switzerland talks, “I have a 60-day option and then I will do what I want.”