Vice President of the United States to Attend Peace Negotiations with Iran in Switzerland After New Closure of Hormuz
The trip comes after Tehran announced a new closure of the Strait of Hormuz and accused Washington of breaching the preliminary agreement to halt the war
By AFP
June 20, 2026, 10:01 a.m.
A Lebanese woman cries sitting among the rubble at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the village of Qennarit, southern Lebanon, on June 20, 2026. (-/AFP)
Washington. US Vice President JD Vance announced this Saturday that he will travel "in the coming days" to Switzerland to participate in peace negotiations with Iran, after Tehran again closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
"I hope to leave sometime in the next few days, but as is well known, it is always a delicate matter of coordination," Vance said in an interview with Fox News, two days after unexpectedly postponing a previously scheduled trip to discuss the next steps of the agreement between Washington and Tehran.
The vice president specified that US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are already in Switzerland working on "some of the technical aspects" of the talks with Iran, focused on consolidating a preliminary agreement aimed at halting the regional escalation.
Meanwhile, the US Central Command reported that its units remain "present and vigilant" in the Strait of Hormuz with the aim of "ensuring that all aspects of the agreement with Iran are fulfilled, respected, and fully maintained," according to a statement.
Pakistan announced that technical talks to implement the agreement will be held this Sunday in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, with the participation of Pakistani and Qatari mediators, as well as delegations from the United States and Iran.
Iranian state media reported that a negotiating team has already departed for Swiss territory, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, who warned that the agreement is facing "difficulties."
New Closure of Hormuz
The warning came as Iran announced the new closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the resumption of Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, accusing Washington of "breach of contract" and Israel of violating the ceasefire in that border area.
Israel carried out deadly attacks in southern Lebanon today, and the local group Hezbollah claimed the right to respond, hours after the United States announced a new ceasefire in the fighting that had tested a nascent agreement with Iran.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2, when the Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel to avenge the assassination of the Iranian leader.
Israel has since responded with widespread attacks across Lebanon and a ground offensive.
Tehran kept the strait blocked for much of the war, causing severe turbulence in global energy markets, before agreeing to reopen it this week as part of a preliminary agreement with the United States to halt the regional conflict on multiple fronts, including Lebanon.
The talks in Switzerland aim to open a two-month negotiation phase to address outstanding issues, including Iran's nuclear program and mechanisms to ensure compliance with commitments by both sides.
