The Swiss government on Sunday welcomed the arrival of the United States delegation in Switzerland, confirming that the delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance, was en route to the Burgenstock near Lucerne. The visit is part of the implementation of a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the United States and Iran.
Swiss Ministry Confirms Delegation's Movement
In a post on X, the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "We welcome the arrival of the United States delegation in Switzerland." The post added, "The United States delegation is on its way to the Burgenstock as part of the implementation of the MoU signed between the #UnitedStates and #Iran."
US Vice President Leads Delegation
US Vice President JD Vance landed in Switzerland for US-Iran talks, according to CNN, citing updates from his office. He is accompanied by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance departed for Switzerland on Saturday for technical-level talks with Iran, following the signing of the 14-point MoU aimed at ending hostilities in West Asia and addressing nuclear and regional security issues.
Speaking to reporters before his departure, Vance said he understood that the Iranian delegation had already arrived in Switzerland and that talks could continue for "a couple of days." He noted, "I can only be there for a day or two. I think we're going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue and make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue. Those are the two big things that I think we're focused on. I'm sure the Iranians are going to have issues they'd like to discuss as well."
Focus on Regional Stability
Vance addressed the situation in Lebanon, particularly due to Israeli strikes, stating, "Things are actually getting better there, and things are slowing down a little bit. Marco and the entire team have been actively managing what's going on in Lebanon. Despite the headlines, things are actually getting better there, and things are slowing down a little bit." He added that the broader objective is to prevent escalation and ensure regional stability: "It's going to be something we're just going to have to continuously manage to ensure that you know Israel and Lebanon are both safe and secure. That's fundamentally the goal of this: to make the whole region safe and secure. The big problem is that you have somebody who will shoot and then somebody who will respond, and you kind of have a chicken-and-egg problem where you've just got to stop the shooting for long enough to get the ceasefire to keep hold; that's what we're going to try to do."
Iranian Delegation Arrives in Zurich
The Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker and Chief Negotiator MB Ghalibaf, arrived in Zurich for the first round of technical talks with the US as part of the 14-point MoU, Iranian state media Press TV reported. The negotiation team is named "Minab 168" in honor of the victims of the Minab school incident, which Iranian officials have highlighted in diplomatic messaging.
Background of the MoU
US President Donald Trump and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian virtually signed the MoU on Wednesday, aiming to end hostilities between the two countries, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and launch negotiations on a broader agreement, including talks on Iran's nuclear programme. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are already in Switzerland, where the first round of talks on a potential nuclear deal is expected to take place on Sunday, according to US officials cited by Axios.
The Iranian delegation left Tehran shortly after the Iranian armed forces announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to violations of the ceasefire by Israel in Lebanon, which was an "integral part" of the MoU. Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, also arrived in Switzerland on Friday, as Qatar is considered a principal mediator facilitating contacts between Washington and Tehran.
