After 18 hours of intense negotiations, the first high-level talks under the framework of a US-Iran memorandum of understanding wrapped up at a resort in Burglenstock, Switzerland.
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi shared on social media on June 22 that, with mediation from Pakistan and Qatar, “significant progress” has been made in ending the conflict in Lebanon. He added that Iran’s “oil and petrochemical exports have been exempted, the blockade has been lifted, some assets have been unfrozen, and a major reconstruction and development plan for Iran has been launched.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei said the US-Iran talks covered the groundwork for launching final agreement negotiations. All sides agreed that technical teams will continue working on issues needed for the effective implementation of the US-Iran memorandum. The discussions also touched on issuing licenses for Iranian oil sales and unfreezing Iran’s assets, with promising outcomes.
As the mediators, Qatar and Pakistan then released a joint statement on the conclusion of the first high-level committee meeting between the US and Iran.
The joint statement said the first round of high-level talks under the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding” (US-Iran MOU) framework achieved encouraging progress, including setting up a mechanism for further technical negotiations.
Based on the MOU, all parties agreed to form a high-level committee responsible for political oversight of the mediation. Chief negotiators will report to this committee regularly and lead work on nuclear issues, sanctions relief, and monitoring and dispute resolution teams to ensure effective implementation of the MOU and other related matters.
The high-level committee has agreed on a roadmap aimed at reaching a final agreement within 60 days, laying the groundwork for immediately launching further technical talks.
Additionally, according to the timeline set in the MOU, a communication hotline has been established to prevent accidental incidents and miscalculations, ensuring the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
The parties also agreed to set up a “conflict de-escalation group,” with assistance from the mediators, to coordinate between all sides and Lebanon to end military operations there. For the rest of this week, technical talks on all topics will continue in Burglenstock.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu had bet that joint action with the US would topple Iran’s theocratic regime and help him shore up his position ahead of Israeli elections.But the reality is that his rift with US President Trump is widening, as Israel insists on continuing its military operations in Lebanon.
On June 17, Iran’s official news agency IRNA disclosed the text of the US-Iran MOU, which includes these key points:
The US will immediately lift its naval blockade on Iran and any interference or obstruction. During this period, vessel traffic will be restored to pre-war levels. Additionally, the US commits to withdrawing its military forces from areas around Iran within 30 days after the final agreement is reached.
Iran will do its utmost to arrange for commercial vessels to pass safely and freely from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman, free of charge, for a period of just 60 days. Commercial shipping will begin immediately. Given that Iran needs to clear technical and military obstacles, including demining and other necessary work, normal traffic will resume within 30 days.
The US promises to work with its regional partners to develop a mutually agreed-upon plan for Iran’s economic reconstruction and development, providing at least $300 billion in funding. The mechanism for executing this plan will be finalized within 60 days as part of the final agreement. The US will grant all necessary approvals, exemptions, and permits for related financial transactions.
The US commits to ending all sanctions against Iran within a mutually agreed timeline set in the final agreement, including those under UN Security Council resolutions, IAEA Board of Governors resolutions, and all unilateral US sanctions, including secondary sanctions.
On June 21, the talks nearly collapsed. After about an hour and a half of discussions, Trump suddenly posted threatening remarks on social media, warning Iran to immediately stop its “proxy” actions in Lebanon, or else the US would launch another, more intense strike on Iran.
The Iranian delegation was furious, protested to the US side over Trump’s comments, and walked out of the room. Qatar and Pakistan continued their mediation efforts, with Iran and the US communicating through intermediaries.
