US and Iran agree on 60-day plan for final deal; line of communication to be established to prevent the Hormuz incidents: Mediators | Today’s news
The opening round of talks between senior US and Iranian officials in Switzerland ended on Monday, mediators said. The talks began at a time of heightened tension after Tehran announced the resumption of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and US President Donald Trump repeatedly warned of possible military action against Iran.
In a joint statement, mediators from Qatar and Pakistan said the two sides had agreed on a plan to reach a comprehensive agreement within 60 days. A statement issued by Qatar’s foreign ministry added that technical discussions would continue throughout the week in the Swiss resort of Buergenstock.
According to mediators, the two sides also agreed on a mechanism to stop the fighting in Lebanon and establish a direct communication channel to help ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
“The high-level committee agreed on a road map to reach a final agreement within 60 days, laying the groundwork for the immediate start of further technical talks. In addition, a communication line has been established between the parties for the period specified in paragraph 5 of the MoU to avoid incidents and misunderstandings with the aim of safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement said.
“Furthermore, the parties agreed to establish a de-confliction cell between the parties, the Republic of Lebanon and with the help of mediators to ensure compliance with the end of military operations in Lebanon under the Memorandum of Understanding. Technical negotiations will continue throughout the rest of the week at the Burgenstock resort on all issues,” the statement continued.
He added: “The mediating parties will continue to do everything in their power to ensure that negotiations continue to be conducted in a constructive atmosphere with the aim of reaching a final agreement.
meeting in Switzerland
US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian officials held talks on Sunday based on a memorandum of understanding reached last week that aims to extend a fragile truce established in April for at least another 60 days. Negotiations in Switzerland dragged on into the early hours of Monday.
In a post on social media, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had secured exemptions for oil and petrochemical exports, access to part of its frozen assets and the start of the country’s reconstruction and development program.
The White House did not immediately comment on whether the high-level discussions had been formally concluded.
Trump’s warning
Shortly before talks began on Sunday, Fox News reported that Trump warned Iranian officials that “you won’t have a country” if they try to close the Strait of Hormuz again. Trump also repeated his earlier threat that the United States could take control of the strategic waterway and possibly impose its own transit fees, according to the report.
Trump said he agreed to the memorandum of understanding last week in an effort to prevent a global economic downturn that could trigger soaring oil prices as a result of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. He noted that oil prices had fallen significantly over the previous week, reaching their lowest level since the start of the conflict on February 28.
