Zurich/Dubai/Washington: US Vice‑President JD Vance landed in Switzerland on Sunday to join negotiations aimed at turning a fragile ceasefire into a lasting peace between Washington and Tehran, even as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) declared the Strait of Hormuz closed — a claim the US military said had not stopped commercial shipping, AP reported.
The United States and Iran agreed to a 60‑day truce to allow talks to progress, but on Saturday the IRGC warned that vessels approaching the strait would be at risk, citing what it described as Israeli “crimes” in Lebanon that violated the ceasefire. US Central Command countered that 55 merchant ships transited the strait on Saturday, carrying more than 17 million barrels of oil destined for global markets, and said US forces would ensure commercial traffic continued.
Those tensions complicate efforts to flesh out an interim accord brokered by Pakistan and signed last Wednesday by Presidents Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian. Tehran has accused the US of not meeting its obligations under the 14‑point deal; an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Mohammad Mokhber, posted on X that the United States had failed to implement the first clause, which calls for a ceasefire “on all fronts,” including Lebanon. Mokhber warned that “as long as the agreement was only on paper, the flow of Middle East energy would remain halted.”
Negotiations In Switzerland
Iran’s delegation, already in Switzerland, is led by chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi plus senior security, central bank and oil officials, Iranian media reported. Vance’s team includes envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir are also expected to participate in weekend sessions, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.
Vance, speaking to Fox News before departure, said he was confident the ceasefire would hold and that he had seen no evidence the Strait of Hormuz was closed. He told reporters at Joint Base Andrews he anticipated “a couple days of talks,” adding, “I think we’re going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue.” The vice president and second lady Usha Vance arrived at Emmen Air Base at 5:59 a.m. (0359 GMT), a vice‑presidential spokesperson said.
Lebanon Remains Volatile
A halt to fighting in Lebanon was a precondition for opening talks on Iran’s nuclear programme and related matters, but the truce there appeared tenuous. Lebanese Civil Defence reported that 20 people were killed by Israeli strikes on Saturday, hours after the ceasefire took effect. Israel said it was retaliating against Hezbollah attacks, while Hezbollah warned it would not allow Israel “freedom of movement” in Lebanon. Israel has said it is not party to the US‑Iran agreement and will keep forces in occupied Lebanese areas.
Casualty counts remain substantial. Lebanon’s health ministry said 4,057 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2, while Israeli authorities reported at least 32 soldiers and four civilians killed fighting Hezbollah. A Hebrew University poll shared with Reuters found that 92% of Israelis believe Iran benefited more from the joint Israeli‑US military campaign, and nearly 90% said the war’s goals were not achieved.
