Key facts
- US, Iran, and Pakistan negotiators met in Switzerland on June 21.
- The talks aimed to address Iran's nuclear program and secure a ceasefire.
- US Vice President JD Vance led the American delegation.
- Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir acted as mediators.
- An interim deal was signed last week, providing a 60-day window for agreement.
- The negotiations were overshadowed by fighting in Lebanon and Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Top negotiators from the United States, Iran, and Pakistan convened in Switzerland on June 21 for talks aimed at securing a fragile ceasefire and reaching a deal on Iran's nuclear program. The US delegation was led by Vice President JD Vance, who was joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir were acting as key mediators.
The talks followed an interim deal signed the previous week, which provided a 60-day window for the US and Iran to finalize an agreement on technical details. However, the negotiations were overshadowed by ongoing fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, and Iran's subsequent announcement of closing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil and gas supplies.
Iranian central bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati was also identified as an attendee. A quadrilateral meeting involving Iran, the United States, Qatar, and Pakistan was scheduled for Sunday afternoon at the Burgenstock mountaintop resort. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman stated that Iran would hold meetings with intermediaries Qatar and Pakistan earlier in the day, adding that the gathering in Switzerland is a follow-up on the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed with the US.