Planned negotiations between the United States and Iran in Switzerland have been postponed, casting doubt on the durability of their recently signed ceasefire deal.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry confirmed early Friday that the talks, set to take place at the Bürgenstock resort, would not proceed as scheduled. The delay follows reports that Iran withheld its delegation due to ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon, which have killed at least 18 people in southern Lebanon since Thursday.
Tehran has taken a firm stance, with chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf insisting that any discussions must respect Iran's "red lines," including a halt to Israeli attacks on Lebanon. "If the enemy seeks to be excessive, we have proven that our fingers are on the trigger," Ghalibaf stated, according to the official IRNA news agency.
The US-Iran memorandum of understanding, signed electronically on Wednesday, outlined a 60-day negotiation framework. However, Vice President JD Vance, who was set to lead the US delegation, canceled his trip late Thursday. The White House noted that "the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable."
Meanwhile, mediators from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey plan to gather in Egypt on Sunday to discuss the deal's stability. Israel, which is not a party to the agreement, has vowed to maintain a security zone in southern Lebanon as long as necessary, further complicating the path to peace.