US, Iran begin fresh talks in Switzerland amid Hormuz tensions, Lebanon violence

The discussions come days after Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a 14-point interim agreement aimed at ending the Middle East conflict and paving the way for a broader settlement within 60 days.

High-level delegations arrive in Switzerland

The US delegation will be led by Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by Trump's special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

On the Iranian side, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are leading the negotiations.

Tehran's delegation is also reported to include senior officials from the security establishment, central bank and oil sector.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir are expected to attend the talks, while mediators from Qatar will also be present at the Burgenstock resort in the Swiss village of Obburgen.

Focus on nuclear deal and Lebanon ceasefire

Before departing for Switzerland, Vance said the talks would focus primarily on Iran's nuclear programme and efforts to stabilise the fragile ceasefire in Lebanon.

"I think we're going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue. Those are the two big things that I think we're going to be focused on," Vance told reporters.

He added that Witkoff and Kushner had already been working on technical aspects of the negotiations and had conveyed positive feedback from preliminary discussions.

The latest talks follow an unsuccessful US-Iran negotiating round held in Pakistan in April.

Trump warns of Hormuz tolls

Ahead of the negotiations, Trump issued a fresh warning over the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global energy shipping route through which a significant share of the world's oil exports pass.

In a post on Truth Social, the US President said no tolls would be imposed during the 60-day ceasefire period but suggested Washington could introduce charges if a final deal is not reached.

"There will be no tolls in the Hormuz Strait for 60 days during the ceasefire period," Trump wrote, adding that any future tolls could be imposed by the United States for its role in safeguarding regional shipping routes.

Iran claims Hormuz closure, US rejects assertion

Trump's remarks came shortly after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that the Strait of Hormuz had been shut in response to what it described as Israeli violations of the Lebanon ceasefire.

The IRGC also warned that vessels entering the waterway could face risks.

The United States, however, dismissed the claim, insisting that maritime traffic remained unaffected.

A spokesperson for US Central Command said Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz and confirmed that commercial shipping continued as normal. According to the US military, 55 merchant vessels carrying more than 17 million barrels of oil transited the strait on Saturday.

Lebanon violence threatens fragile truce

The diplomatic push comes amid renewed violence in Lebanon despite a ceasefire that took effect earlier this week.

At least 20 people were reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes on Saturday. Israel accused Hezbollah of launching more than 50 projectiles toward its forces in southern Lebanon, prompting retaliatory strikes against what it described as Hezbollah targets.

Lebanon has remained a major flashpoint since Hezbollah entered the regional conflict in March, triggering months of cross-border attacks that have left thousands dead and displaced millions.

Iran accuses US of failing to enforce ceasefire

Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, accused Washington of failing to uphold the first provision of the interim agreement, which calls for a ceasefire across all fronts, including Lebanon.

He warned that unless the commitments outlined in the deal are implemented in practice, energy flows from the Middle East could remain disrupted, adding further urgency to the negotiations underway in Switzerland.