U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi are both making their way to Switzerland for diplomatic talks, according to a report from Axios on Friday. The development comes as a newly established ceasefire in Lebanon appears to have reinvigorated efforts to transform a short-term Iran war agreement into a more permanent regional settlement.
Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon on Friday, following a surge in fighting that had thrown doubt over ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations — talks considered essential to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and stabilizing global oil supplies.
Earlier this week, the two sides put their signatures on a 14-point memorandum of understanding, pausing hostilities and creating a 60-day period to work through disagreements over Iran’s nuclear program and other complex issues standing in the way of a more durable agreement.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance had scrapped plans on Thursday to travel to Switzerland for the negotiations, citing the escalating tensions in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant organization.
With the ceasefire now in effect, Witkoff is en route to Switzerland to meet up with Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, who is already on the ground there, Axios reported. Araqchi is expected to arrive Saturday.
The move may be an indication that both parties are prepared to begin detailed technical negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire arrangement. The White House did not respond when asked about Witkoff’s travel plans.
A senior U.S. official confirmed that the Lebanon ceasefire took hold around 4 p.m. local time (1300 GMT), following an exchange of fire, and noted that American and Qatari negotiators had brokered the agreement with assistance from Iran.
Two Hezbollah sources and a senior Israeli official separately confirmed the ceasefire to Reuters. “If Hezbollah does not attack us, then for us it is not a time of war,” the Israeli official said, while noting that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon, where they have occupied territory along the country’s northern border.
Two Lebanese security sources reported that Israel carried out roughly a dozen airstrikes during the first hour after the ceasefire took effect, though no further strikes were recorded after 5 p.m. Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli strikes after midnight into Friday had left 47 people dead and 97 wounded. The Israeli military separately reported that four of its soldiers were killed in an incident in Lebanon, without providing additional details.
The ongoing conflict in Lebanon has complicated the broader negotiations, since halting the fighting there is listed as a condition of the wider U.S.-Iran accord.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES REMAIN
Following Wednesday’s signing of the memorandum of understanding, preparations for technical talks at the Swiss mountaintop resort of Buergenstock were moving forward when the White House announced Thursday that Vance would not be attending. Switzerland’s foreign ministry said the talks had been delayed but that the country remained ready to host them and that preparatory work was ongoing.
The broader interim agreement calls for the United States, Iran, and their respective allies to declare an immediate and permanent end to military operations across all fronts, including Lebanon. Israel, which was excluded from the negotiations, has stated it is not bound by the deal.
Araqchi, speaking by phone with his Pakistani counterpart on Friday, said the United States would bear responsibility for any failure to uphold its commitments under the deal — including bringing an end to the fighting in Lebanon — according to his ministry.
ISRAEL-LEBANON TALKS ON THE HORIZON
Lebanon was drawn into the regional conflict when Hezbollah began firing at Israel on March 2, prompting Israel to launch a military offensive against the group and push into southern Lebanon.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the most recent Israeli strikes but said the escalation would not derail efforts to reach a comprehensive ceasefire. The U.S. State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Aoun, reiterating the importance of disarming Hezbollah while reaffirming American support for a “fully sovereign” Lebanese state.
Rubio and Aoun also discussed the possibility of holding a new round of Israel-Lebanon negotiations in Washington from June 23 to June 25. The Lebanese presidency stated that a comprehensive ceasefire would be a foundational requirement for those discussions.
TRUMP STANDS BEHIND THE DEAL
The Iran war, which began on February 28 with air attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iran, has claimed at least 7,000 lives, predominantly in Iran and Lebanon. The conflict has also driven up energy prices, fueling inflation across the globe.
Brent crude oil prices edged upward on Friday but were still on track for a weekly decline of roughly 8% following the Lebanon ceasefire. Oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz had also picked up following the signing of this week’s memorandum. Before Iran blockaded the strait during the war, it had carried nearly one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. The body Iran set up to oversee the strait announced Friday it would waive planned fees during the interim deal’s negotiation window.
The memorandum of understanding includes provisions for easing economic sanctions on Iran, unfreezing tens of billions of dollars in Iranian assets, and immediate U.S. waivers on Iranian oil exports. It also calls for a $300-billion reconstruction fund for Iran along with other financial incentives.
President Trump again defended the agreement in the face of criticism from Washington, including from some Republican allies in Congress who have questioned whether he gave up too much to end a war that is unpopular with most Americans ahead of November’s midterm elections.
“The War has diminished Iran!” Trump wrote on social media Friday, adding, “We didn’t meet out of desperation, Iran did. They are FINISHED! We’ll play out the 60 days. They get no money, not 10 cents!”
