US, Iran talks underway in Switzerland, as Trump says US may take over Strait of Hormuz
Delegations from the U.S. and Iran are in Bürgenstock, Switzerland for talks aimed at finding a long-term end to the war.
These talks come days after the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a 60-day ceasefire. Key parts of that memorandum include the “immediate termination” of military operations on all fronts, including between the U.S. and Iran, as well as in Lebanon, and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
However, Iran said on Saturday it again closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli strikes against Lebanon. The U.S., though, maintains that it’s still open.
President Donald Trump, speaking to Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, said the U.S. may take over the strait, and collect tolls. This would ultimately involve the U.S. taking 20% of the oil passing through the strait, Trump said, according to Yingst.
In an overnight conversation with Iranian officials, Trump addressed the Strait of Hormuz, Yingst said, telling them: “You close it, and you won’t have a country. You won’t even make it back to your f—ing country.”
Vice President JD Vance said before the talks began on Sunday that Trump asked the U.S. delegation in Switzerland to “extend an outstretched hand that says to the people of Iran that if your leadership is willing to give up being a driver of regional instability, if they are willing to give up nuclear weapons ambitions for the long term, then the United States is willing to fundamentally transform our relationship with that country.”
Vance is in Switzerland with Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s adviser and son-in-law. Meanwhile, the Iranian delegation includes parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar are participating in the discussions as well, according to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, was also in Bürgenstock Sunday as discussions continue over Iran’s nuclear program. He said on X he was there to “take stock of recent developments regarding Iran, the path ahead and the important role of the IAEAorg.”
“At this critical moment, it’s important to give diplomacy every opportunity to succeed,” Grossi said. “Thanks to Switzerland for its longstanding support of the Agency and its commitment to multilateral diplomacy.”
On Sunday, Vance said the president “has committed us to see a full regional ceasefire.”
“We’re all working towards regional peace,” Vance said. “There, of course, are going to be sometimes disagreements about precisely how to get there, but I actually feel great about where we are in Lebanon.”
Officials in Israel, though, have said they don’t feel bound by the U.S. memorandum.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said his country’s main focus going into negotiations Sunday is the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, The Associated Press reported.
Seyed Mehdi Tabatabaie, Iran’s deputy of communications and information dissemination of the President’s Office, said on Sunday that Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon “will lead to the invalidation of the entire agreement.”
“The first directive of the negotiating delegation in Switzerland is to end the aggression in Lebanon,” he said. “When the first condition of the agreement is not implemented, there can be no trust in the implementation of the rest of its provisions either.”
Trump, on Truth Social, blamed Iran for the hostilities in Lebanon.
“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble,” he said. “If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!”
This story is developing. Refresh for updates.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
