First Round of US-Iran Talks Concludes Amid Reports of Encouraging Progress

World 09:51 AM - 2026-06-22

The US Vice President alongside the Prime Ministers of Qatar and Pakistan during talks in Switzerland.

Qatar and Pakistan announced on Monday that the first round of high-level talks between the United States and Iran, held at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland, had concluded with what they described as encouraging progress under the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Islamabad.

In a joint statement, Doha and Islamabad said the opening day of the Lucerne Lake Summit was conducted in a positive and constructive atmosphere, resulting in tangible progress and the establishment of a mechanism to continue technical negotiations between the two sides.

According to the statement, the parties agreed to form a high-level committee to oversee the political aspects of the mediation process. Chief negotiators will provide regular reports to the committee and lead specialised working groups on the nuclear issue, sanctions, implementation, and dispute resolution, with the aim of ensuring the effective application of the Memorandum of Understanding and addressing related matters.

The statement added that the committee had endorsed a roadmap intended to secure a final agreement within 60 days, paving the way for an immediate new round of technical discussions. It also confirmed the creation of a direct communication channel between the parties, as outlined in the memorandum, to prevent incidents and misunderstandings and to ensure the safe passage of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

On Lebanon, the two sides agreed to establish a de-escalation working group involving representatives of both parties and the Lebanese government, with mediators facilitating the process. The group will monitor compliance with the cessation of military operations stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding.

Technical talks are expected to continue throughout the week at the Bürgenstock resort, where participants will discuss all outstanding issues.

Qatar and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to supporting negotiations and maintaining a constructive atmosphere conducive to reaching a final agreement. They also praised both Washington and Tehran for their commitment to diplomacy and efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Qatari and Pakistani mediation efforts had produced significant progress towards ending the conflict in Lebanon.

In a post on X, Araqchi stated that the first real test would be the implementation of the Lebanon de-escalation mechanism. He also noted that oil exports had been exempted from restrictions, sanctions had been lifted, some frozen Iranian assets had been released, and a reconstruction programme had been launched in Iran.

On 15 June, the United States and Iran, with Pakistani mediation, announced that they had reached a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at ending the conflict launched by Washington and Tel Aviv against Tehran on 28 February.


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