16 minutes ago
Jessica Rawnsley
Reuters
US Vice-President JD Vance cancelled his planned trip to Switzerland late on Thursday
A new round of direct talks between the US and Iran have been postponed after Vice-President JD Vance delayed a planned trip to Switzerland.
The White House announced late on Thursday that Vance would not be travelling to the talks and said the logistics had not been "simple or predictable".
It comes a day after the US dropped its naval blockade of Iran after the two countries signed a deal aimed at ending the conflict.
While the deal also said fighting should end in Lebanon, the country's health ministry said Israeli strikes had killed at least 18 people in the south overnight.
Israel's military said it had targeted the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, and that four of its own soldiers had been killed.
But in its statement, the White House said plans for the talks had "not been finalised". It added that the US looked forward to "beginning technical talks as soon as possible".
Switzerland's foreign ministry later confirmed the talks at the Burgenstock mountaintop resort had been "postponed", although it said preparations for talks were continuing.
The negotiations had been expected to focus on implementing the agreement and begin discussions on longer-term issues, including Iran's nuclear programme.
Centred around 14 points , the deal includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a requirement that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, a $300bn (£224bn) plan for Iran's "reconstruction", and the US terminating "all types of sanctions" on Iran.
It also binds both sides to achieving a final deal in a "maximum" of 60 days, which could be extended with mutual consent.
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said he had approved the deal with the US despite having a "different view", claiming Trump had "out of desperation, used all kinds of leverage" to bring it about.
He said that while there would be "in-person negotiations in the future" between Tehran and Washington, this would "not mean acceptance of the enemy's position".
Hezbollah-linked Lebanese media had reported that the talks had been suspended due to ongoing Israeli air strikes.
Iran has always insisted that Lebanon be included in any ceasefire - something Israel has rejected, arguing its conflict against Hezbollah is separate from its war on Iran. Hezbollah has also rejected the terms of the deal between Iran and the US.
US President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that he expected a ceasefire to take effect "on all fronts", including between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The text of the agreement also calls for the permanent cessation of the conflict and for Lebanon's territorial integrity and sovereignty to be ensured.
Lebanon's state news agency described the overnight bombardment across the southern Nabatieh district as one of the most intense of the war, with at least 18 killed, 33 injured and several buildings hit.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had targeted infrastructure and individuals linked to Hezbollah.
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Read the full article at BBC News (World) →📄Source document: White House Statement
3 reports
BBC News (World)State / PublicCenter2 days agoUS Vice President JD Vance has cancelled his planned trip to Switzerland, leading to the postponement of new rounds of direct talks between the US and Iran. The White House stated that the logistics for the talks had not been 'simple or predictable.' This follows a recent agreement between the US and Iran aimed at ending the conflict, which also included provisions for ending fighting in Lebanon. However, Israeli strikes reportedly killed at least 18 people in southern Lebanon overnight, with Israel's military stating they targeted Iran-backed group Hezbollah and confirming four soldier deaths
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information without overtly biased language or emphasis. It reports on the cancellation of talks and related events neutrally, providing details from multiple sources including the White House and Swiss authorities.
Official sources cited
- government White House Statement
- government Switzerland's Foreign Ministry Statement
ReutersIndependentCenter2 days agoSwitzerland has stated that planned US-Iran talks scheduled for Friday have been canceled.
Bias read (Center): The article reports a factual statement without opinion, framing, or emphasis that would indicate a political lean. The content is straightforward and does not include any biased language or selective sourcing.
Middle East EyeIndependentCenter2 days agoUS Vice President JD Vance has postponed a planned trip to Switzerland, where he was set to participate in discussions with Iran regarding the next steps to end the conflict between the two countries. The White House stated that the logistics of the negotiations have been complex and unpredictable, and Vance is not traveling tonight. The administration remains hopeful that technical talks can begin soon.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information without apparent bias, focusing on the postponement of a diplomatic meeting and citing the White House statement. There is no evident framing that favors one side over another, and the content does not include subjective language or selective emphasis that wu
Official sources cited
- government White House Statement
United Kingdom