US, Iran agree on 60-day roadmap toward final deal at Switzerland talks

The United States and Iran agreed on a 60-day roadmap toward a final deal Monday, following the first session of high-level talks under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding at the Lake Lucerne Summit in Burgenstock, Switzerland.

Pakistan and Qatar, mediating the talks, said negotiations proceeded in a "positive and constructive atmosphere."

What does the US-Iran 60-day roadmap include?

The roadmap sets a 60-day window to reach a final agreement and establishes a high-level political oversight committee. Chief negotiators will lead working groups on nuclear issues, sanctions, and monitoring.

The parties also created a communication line to prevent incidents and ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy shipping route.

What new structures came out of the Switzerland talks?

The joint statement from Pakistan and Qatar outlined several new mechanisms. A high-level committee will provide political oversight, with chief negotiators reporting to it regularly and leading working groups on nuclear issues, sanctions, and dispute resolution.

Technical talks are scheduled to continue through the rest of the week at the Burgenstock resort.

A de-confliction cell involving the United States, Iran and Lebanon was also created, facilitated by Pakistan and Qatar. It is designed to help maintain the end of military operations in Lebanon under the memorandum. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi called the Lebanon mechanism the "first real test" of the agreement.

Araghchi said on X that Pakistani and Qatari mediation had produced "major progress," citing waivers on oil and petrochemical exports, a lifted blockade, the release of some frozen assets, and the launch of a reconstruction plan for Iran.

How did tensions nearly derail the Switzerland talks?

The latest round of negotiations had a rocky start. Iran's delegation briefly walked out after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Tehran against supporting Hezbollah in Lebanon, and threatened military action if Iran did not immediately halt what he described as its "proxies." Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf responded that Iranian forces were prepared to respond to any attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops would remain in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary, and repeated that Israel would not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. Despite the turbulence, U.S. Vice President JD Vance described the Switzerland talks as a historic meeting and said the parties had an opportunity to permanently reshape relations in the Middle East.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated that Tehran would not surrender its right to enrich uranium but said Iran had no intention of building a nuclear weapon.

— With additional input from AFP