Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said during talks with the US “great progress” to end the war in Lebanon | Today’s news

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on June 22 that the US-Iranian peace deal negotiations had made significant progress in ending Ebanon.

Araghchi’s statement comes after high-level talks in Switzerland seeking a permanent end to the Iran war ended with lower-level talks planned for the rest of the week as Iran and the United States agreed to create a “de-confliction cell” to deal with the fighting in Lebanon.

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A joint statement by the two mediating countries said the cell would include the Lebanese government and “ensure compliance with the cessation of military operations in Lebanon.” But it remains unclear whether this will be enough to stop fighting between the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia and Israel, which occupies Lebanon and insists it must keep a free hand to attack militants who attack northern Israel.

“Relentless Pakistani and Qatari mediation has brought great progress towards ending the war in Lebanon,” Araghchi wrote on X.

Oil and petrochemical exports have been suspended, the embargo lifted, some frozen assets released and a major reconstruction and development plan for Iran launched, he added.

“The first real test: Lebanon’s deconfliction cell,” Iran’s foreign minister said.

An Iranian delegation met a US team in a Swiss resort shortly after US President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Sunday, even as talks began in Switzerland between his vice president and Iranian officials on the next steps in an interim deal signed last week to end the war.

The US team is led by Vice President JD Vance and includes Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. Iranian negotiators are led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Pakistan and Qatar are mediators.

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Just before the talks, Tehran said it had closed the Strait of Hormuz again because of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. The interim agreement is supposed to stop fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon. Iran said the talks must first resolve the issue.

The US says shipping in the key waterway continues and Trump has threatened to impose US tolls in the strait if a final deal with Iran is not reached within 60 days. Other issues include releasing billions of dollars in Iranian assets and dealing with the heart of tensions: Iran’s nuclear program.

Last update for now

Pakistan, Qatar and Iran have all recognized the end of the first round of high-level talks. The US has yet to issue an official statement.

Iran linked success in talks to an end to fighting in Lebanon. Israel insists it will continue to occupy Lebanese territory and must have a free hand in the fight against Hezbollah, which has launched attacks on northern Israel.

A senior U.S. diplomat involved in the talks told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that the Iranians remained in the talks, contrary to some reports, and said much of the discussion involved clarifying what Iran meant by some of its recent statements on the Strait of Hormuz. Negotiators also discussed various “mechanisms” to ensure that the strait remains open and that a ceasefire is enforced in southern Lebanon.

The talks focused mainly on Lebanon: Iran

Earlier, members of the Iranian delegation, while briefing their media, said Sunday’s talks on reaching an agreement to end the war in Iran were mainly focused on Lebanon. Other issues were also discussed, including the release of frozen Iranian assets and Iran’s oil exports, reports said.

Hamid Bovard, CEO of the National Iranian Oil Co., which is part of the Iranian delegation in Switzerland, said the issue of lifting oil-related sanctions and related exemptions was being pursued during the talks.

Bovard was responding to a question from a correspondent of IRNA, Iran’s state news agency.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he believed Iran’s government would collapse as a result of the military campaign. Creating the conditions for a popular uprising was one of his original goals.

“I think we have created the conditions for its future downfall,” Netanyahu said at the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem on Sunday.

Relentless Pakistani and Qatari mediation has brought significant progress towards ending the Lebanon war.

“It will be a real triumph when the Iranian people take their destiny into their own hands and remove this brutal regime that is terrorizing them and the rest of the world,” he said.

Key things

• Progress depends on diplomatic efforts that demonstrate the power of multilateral negotiations.
• The establishment of a “deconfliction cell” is a crucial step towards stability in Lebanon.
• Regional and global dynamics, including Iran’s oil exports and nuclear issues, are intricately linked to peace initiatives.