Iran-US Negotiations in Switzerland Conclude with Working Groups on Nuclear and Sanctions Issues
Technical negotiations between Iran and the United States in Switzerland have concluded, with a decision to form negotiating groups to address nuclear issues and sanctions, Iranian state media reported on Tuesday (23/6).
Negotiators “decided that four working groups will be formed: Sanctions Relief, Nuclear Affairs, Economic Reconstruction and Development, and Monitoring and Implementation,” the official IRNA news agency said, citing Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi.
Separately, Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf asserted that the Strait of Hormuz will be managed by Tehran. He made the statement on Tuesday (23/6), following talks aimed at ending the United States-Israel war in the Islamic republic.
In the first round of talks held in Switzerland on Monday (22/6), Iran and the United States agreed to establish a communication channel to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and to end the fighting in Lebanon.
“The Strait of Hormuz will never return to pre-war conditions and will be managed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, in accordance with international law,” Ghalibaf said upon returning from the meeting, according to official IRNA news agency.
In a video posted to Ghalibaf’s Telegram account, he said the talks at the luxury Swiss resort of Burgenstock yielded “good achievements.”
“I believe this trip produced good achievements, especially regarding discussions on the Strait of Hormuz, discussions on Lebanon, the issue of oil exemptions, and the issue of unfreezing blocked funds,” the Iranian parliament speaker said.
The United States temporarily suspended sanctions on Iranian oil after Vice President JD Vance said Tehran would allow UN nuclear inspectors to return to the country following the talks.
As part of the agreement, Tehran will also receive some form of sanctions relief from Washington, as well as the unfreezing of assets.
“Of course, we believe we are still at the beginning of this work and must continue our efforts,” Ghalibaf added in the video.