US President Donald Trump's personal envoy and Iran's foreign minister were heading to Switzerland for talks, according to Axios, even as deadly Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Saturday threatened to undermine a new ceasefire that is crucial to ending the Iran war.
Witkoff and Araqchi to Meet in Switzerland
The talks, led by US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, represent an effort to transform this week's interim 14-point agreement into a lasting regional deal to end the war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28.
However, just hours after a ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah took effect in Lebanon, Israeli air strikes and drone attacks killed at least five people in the south on Saturday, according to Lebanese state media.
A halt to the fighting in Lebanon is a prerequisite for starting 60 days of US-Iranian negotiations aimed at resolving disputes over Iran's nuclear program and other contentious issues. These talks are essential for forging a more durable agreement critical to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and stabilizing global oil supplies.
Ceasefire Violations in Lebanon
The Lebanon ceasefire took effect around 4 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Friday after an exchange of fire, a senior US official confirmed. Two sources from Hezbollah and a senior Israeli official also confirmed the truce.
Despite the ceasefire, Israeli warplanes and drones launched a series of strikes across the Nabatieh area overnight and into Saturday morning, destroying residential buildings. Israeli artillery also shelled Nabatieh and its outskirts before dawn, according to the Lebanese state news agency NNA.
Israel did not immediately comment on the NNA report.
Diplomatic Moves Amid Tensions
Witkoff is heading to Switzerland to join Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, who is already there, while Araqchi was expected to travel on Saturday, Axios reported. The White House did not respond to questions about Witkoff's travel, and Iran has not confirmed Araqchi's plans.
Vice President JD Vance canceled plans on Thursday to travel to the Swiss mountaintop resort of Buergenstock as preparations for technical talks were well advanced, amid rising tension between Israel and Hezbollah.
Switzerland stood ready to facilitate the US-Iran talks, and preparatory work continued, the Swiss foreign ministry said.
Wednesday's interim deal requires the United States, Iran, and their allies to declare an immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon. Israel, left out of the talks, says it is not party to the deal.
Lebanon's Role in the Peace Process
Araqchi, in a telephone call with his Pakistani counterpart on Friday, said the United States would be responsible for any violation of its commitments under the deal, including ending the fighting in Lebanon, his ministry stated.
Lebanon was drawn into the regional war when Hezbollah opened fire at Israel on March 2, prompting an Israeli offensive against the group and an invasion of southern Lebanon.
Before Saturday's attacks, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun discussed holding Israel-Lebanon negotiations in Washington from Tuesday to Thursday, the State Department said. The Lebanese presidency stated that a comprehensive ceasefire was a fundamental pillar of these talks.
The Iran war has killed at least 7,000 people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon. It has pushed up energy prices, stoking inflation worldwide. Brent crude fell about 8% this week, and oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz picked up after the signing of the interim deal.
The strait carried nearly a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before Iran blockaded it during the war. The body Iran set up to manage the strait said on Friday it would waive planned fees during the interim deal's negotiation period.
The interim deal foresees relief for Iran from economic sanctions, the unfreezing of assets worth tens of billions of dollars, and immediate US waivers for its exports of oil. It also provides for a $300-billion reconstruction fund for Iran and other financial incentives.
Trump again defended the deal after criticism in Washington, including from some Republican allies in Congress who question whether he conceded too much to end a war unpopular with most Americans ahead of midterm elections in November.
"The War has diminished Iran!" Trump wrote on social media on Friday, adding, "We didn't meet out of desperation, Iran did. They are FINISHED! We'll play out the 60 days. They get no money, not 10 cents!"
