21.6.2026
Iranian officials said Sunday they paused ceasefire talks with the US, pointing to Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
The Iranians walked out the talks ongoing in Switzerland to end the US, Iran middle east conflict in protest against the strikes and also President Donald Trump threats of resuming strikes on Tehran.
The talks, attended by US Vice President JD Vance and an Iranian delegation led by chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, come days after an interim agreement signed by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to end nearly four months of hostilities. The outcome of Sunday’s talks is expected to determine the agenda for a second round of negotiations as both sides seek a comprehensive agreement to resolve outstanding disputes, including over Iran’s nuclear programme.
The negotiations opened against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon and conflicting positions between Washington and Tehran on key regional issues, threatening to complicate efforts to advance the Pakistan-brokered agreement signed on Wednesday.
Iran has maintained that the talks should focus on implementing commitments under the 14-point deal and has accused the United States of failing to fulfil its first provision — a ceasefire “on all fronts” — citing renewed exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.
A member of Iran’s negotiating team told state media that if the war in Lebanon did not end, negotiations on other subjects would not proceed. With Agency reports