The Japan Times - US, Iran begin talks as Lebanon conflict threatens deal

The negotiations to end a war that sowed chaos across the Middle East and rattled the global economy are meant to trigger a 60-day period to settle broader issues that have dogged US-Iranian relations for decades, from Iran's nuclear programme to crippling sanctions.

American and Iranian representatives gathered alongside delegations from mediators Pakistan and Qatar at the luxury Swiss resort of Burgenstock perched high above Lake Lucerne, with Doha confirming in the afternoon that the four-way talks had begun.

Yet the talks to end the months-long conflict are taking place against the backdrop of Iran closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz again in response to Israel's attacks on Lebanon, where its war with Hezbollah has flared despite a new ceasefire.

"It is not possible to enter the negotiation phase for a final agreement," foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei wrote on X, unless there was an end to the war in Lebanon.

Washington and Tehran's memorandum of understanding signed earlier in June extended the truce in the war that began in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. It included a provision to end fighting in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.

But there have been repeated clashes in Lebanon since, which prompted Iran to say it would again shutter the crucial oil and gas trade route, having opened it as part of the deal.

By Sunday afternoon, however, there had been no reports of Israeli strikes or continued fighting in Lebanon since the day before.

Israel insisted on Sunday, though, that its troops would stay inside what it calls a "security zone" in southern Lebanon and respond to any threats, despite the US-Iran deal.

- Nuclear sticking points -

Lebanon aside, there has been no indication that Iran's support for armed groups across the region, which has long drawn the ire of the US and Israel, will be addressed in the negotiations.

"I think we're going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue. Those are the two big things that I think we're to be focused on," US Vice President JD Vance told reporters before departing from Joint Base Andrews, saying he could only join the talks "for a day or two".

There remained scepticism from Tehran, however, with Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, posting on X that "the enemy has shown itself to be a promise-breaker".

Speaking on Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would not relinquish its right to enrich uranium, though he repeated Iran's denial that it wants nuclear weapons.

"We can also state in writing that we have no intention of building a bomb," he said on the presidential website.

Baqaei, meanwhile, said the unfreezing of Iranian assets and "issuing the necessary licences for the sale of Iranian oil will also be on the agenda".

US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were already in Switzerland handling "some of the technical elements" and had reported that "things are going well", Vance told Fox News on Saturday.

Sunday began with US and Iranian envoys meeting separately with mediators. The office of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif released footage of him and army chief Asim Munir greeting Vance with a hug.

- Lebanon fighting -

The latest fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, sparked by the Tehran-backed militant group attacking Israel in support of Iran in the wider war, has repeatedly threatened to derail peace efforts.

On Friday, planned US-Iranian talks were postponed after Israel launched deadly strikes in Lebanon following the deaths of four of its soldiers in combat there.

Washington announced a renewed ceasefire in the country later the same day, but Israeli troops again clashed with Hezbollah fighters the following day, trading accusations of violating the truce.

Citing a US "breach of contract" and "the Zionist regime's continuous and relentless violation of the ceasefire in southern Lebanon", Iran's central military command said "the Strait of Hormuz will be closed to vessel traffic".

US Central Command said after Iran's announcement that safe passage there had "remained intact".

On Saturday, the Israeli military said a soldier was killed in combat, the fifth such fatality since the US-Iran deal was reached.

Hezbollah accused Israel of carrying out "under the cover of the ceasefire... an infiltration attempt towards the Ali Taher hills" in southern Lebanon.

Lebanese state media reported Israeli air raids on around 20 locations, with authorities counting more than 30 dead.

The overall death toll from the fighting in Lebanon has now surpassed 4,000, the health ministry said.

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K.Inoue--JT