A scheduled round of direct negotiations between the United States and Iran has been postponed after US Vice President JD Vance withdrew from a planned visit to Switzerland, creating uncertainty over the next phase of diplomatic efforts.
The White House confirmed on Thursday that Vance would no longer travel for the discussions, explaining that the arrangements for the meeting had become complicated and that the schedule was not yet finalized.
The delay comes shortly after Washington and Tehran reached a significant agreement that led to the end of a US naval blockade of Iran, marking a major step toward easing tensions between the two nations.
Although the agreement also called for an end to hostilities in Lebanon, violence in the region has continued. Lebanese health officials reported that overnight Israeli airstrikes in the country’s south killed at least 18 people.
The Israeli military stated that its operations targeted Hezbollah positions, the Iran-backed armed group active in Lebanon. Israel also confirmed that four of its soldiers were killed during recent clashes.
Earlier in the day, Lebanese media outlets linked to Hezbollah suggested that the US-Iran talks had been put on hold due to the ongoing military situation and continued Israeli attacks.
The discussions in Switzerland were expected to focus on the technical details and implementation of the agreement reached earlier this week. However, US officials said the meeting plans had not been fully confirmed and expressed hope that negotiations would resume in the near future.
Switzerland’s foreign ministry later verified that the planned talks at the Burgenstock resort overlooking Lake Lucerne had been postponed. Officials added that preparations for future negotiations are still underway.
Security measures around the venue remain in place, with Swiss police and military personnel continuing patrols while facilities prepared for international media await a new date for the high-level diplomatic meeting.