Iranian delegation leaves Switzerland after preliminary breakthrough talks

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said on Monday that the Iranian negotiating delegation had left Switzerland and was headed back to Tehran for further consultations on the next phase of the talks. The departure came after a long and tense day of discussions, following an overnight announcement by the mediators, Qatar and Pakistan, that the sides had reached a series of initial understandings and were moving toward a permanent agreement.

In a joint statement, Doha and Islamabad said the talks were held in a “positive and constructive atmosphere” and produced “encouraging progress,” including new mechanisms for continuing technical negotiations between the sides. They said a senior committee would be created to supervise implementation of the memorandum of understanding and manage the mediation process.

The mediators also said working groups would be set up to deal with nuclear issues, sanctions, monitoring mechanisms and dispute resolution. According to the statement, the parties agreed on a roadmap aimed at reaching a final agreement within 60 days, and technical talks are expected to resume in the coming days in Bürgenstock.

One of the key decisions was the creation of a dedicated communication channel to prevent incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and ensure safe passage for commercial vessels in the area. The sides also announced a “deconfliction cell” linked to Lebanon, which will operate with Qatari and Pakistani mediation to ensure the continuation of the ceasefire in Lebanon in line with the memorandum of understanding. Israel was not mentioned in the official statement, even though the new mechanism is expected to deal with one of the region’s most sensitive arenas.