Iran and the US agreed on Monday to set up communication lines to keep the vital Strait of Hormuz open and end fighting in Lebanon, mediators said, after a first day of “encouraging” talks in Switzerland towards ending the war in the Middle East. Follow our live coverage for all the latest updates.
Key points from the first round of Iran-US talks
Here’s a summary of some of the main points from the joint Qatar-Pakistan statement released Monday at the conclusion of the first round of US-Iran talks:
Roadmap to final deal agreed
A High Level Committee set up by Tehran and Washington to oversee the talks has “agreed upon a roadmap towards reaching a final deal within 60 days, laying the foundation for the immediate commencement of further technical talks”, according to the statement.
“Technical talks will continue for the remainder of the week,” the statement added.
Lebanon ‘de-confliction cell’
The US and Iran “agreed on the creation of a de-confliction cell, between the parties, the Lebanese Republic and facilitated by the Mediators, to ensure the adherence of the termination of military operations in Lebanon”, the joint statement read.
Fighting in Lebanon in recent days has threatened to derail the peace deal.
Hormuz ‘communication line’
Tehran and Washington have set up a “communication line” to “avoid incidents and miscommunication with the aim of safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz”, according to the statement.
The communication line is applicable for the 60-day period outlined in the memorandum of understanding signed earlier by both sides, in which Iran vowed “best efforts” to ensure safe passage of commercial ships.
Brent falls after US-Iran talks conclude in Switzerland
Brent crude prices slid on Monday after the first day of US-Iran talks concluded in Switzerland with Tehran saying it had secured waivers for oil and petrochemical exports, easing worries about a supply shortage in global markets.
Brent crude fell $1.19, or 1.48%, to $79.38 a barrel by 0416 GMT. Prices had climbed to $82.30 at the start of trading, fuelled by a bumpy start to the talks with threats from President Donald Trump to restart the war on Iran and Tehran’s announcement it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran-US agree to ‘roadmap’ for further talks after ‘encouraging’ start, mediators say
Iran and the US have agreed to set up communications lines to keep the vital Strait of Hormuz open and end fighting in Lebanon, mediators said, after their first round of talks in Switzerland toward ending the war in the Middle East.
The teams led by US Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf opened talks Sunday, as part of a two-month negotiating period set out under a preliminary deal agreed last week.
Mediators Pakistan and Qatar said the negotiators reached agreement on a “roadmap towards reaching a final deal within 60 days”, with technical talks to continue for the rest of the week at the Swiss resort of Burgenstock.
“Encouraging progress has been made including the creation of a mechanism for further technical talks,” they said, detailing a contact channel set up to “avoid incidents and miscommunication” at the Strait of Hormuz.
A “de-confliction cell”, between the parties and the Lebanese authorities has also been agreed to prevent fighting from erupting again, they said.
Iran-US talks enter second day after rough start
Negotiators from the US and Iran were set to engage in a second day of talks Monday to solidify a permanent end to the war between the countries, after a first day of mediation began with a rocky start.
Mediators Qatar and Pakistan hailed what they called “encouraging progress” made during the talks. A senior US diplomat claimed progress on multiple fronts, including the establishment of “mechanisms” to ensure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy shipments, remains open and that a ceasefire in southern Lebanon holds.
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