US-Iran talks to begin in Switzerland as Tehran says it closed Strait of Hormuz

(George Wrightand, Toby Mann – BBC) Direct talks between the US and Iran are set to begin in Switzerland despite the Iranian military saying it has closed the Strait of Hormuz again over Israel’s attacks on southern Lebanon. The US military has disputed the claim, saying “traffic continues to flow”. Iran said the Strait was closed in response to deadly Israeli strikes in Lebanon that were a breach of Tehran’s agreement with the US to end the war. US Vice-President JD Vance landed in Switzerland early Sunday morning. The new round of negotiations is expected to start later in the day. An Iranian delegation including parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived late on Saturday. Officials from the US and Iran will be joined at the talks by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the head of the country’s armed forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir. Pakistan has acted as a mediator throughout the war, and hosted a previous round of negotiations between the US and Iran. “Pakistan will continue to support the implementation of the understandings between Iran and the United States,” the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement ahead of the talks. Vance said he hoped to make progress “on the nuclear issue” and on the “Lebanon ceasefire issue”. – US-Iran talks to begin in Switzerland as Tehran says it closed Strait of Hormuz