US vice president Vance cancels trip as Iran postpones further negotiations with U.S. in Switzerland

Switzerland’s Foreign Ministry announced that the talks scheduled to take place between Iran and the United States on Friday, June 19, have been canceled, a development that came just hours after the cancellation of the U.S. vice president’s planned trip to Switzerland.

Earlier, the White House said that Vice President J.D. Vance would not travel to Switzerland on Thursday night as previously planned. According to the White House spokesperson, the decision was due to unresolved logistical arrangements related to the next phase of negotiations.

Iran and the United States had been set to hold the first meeting of a 60-day negotiation period following their initial understanding, with the aim of reaching a final agreement. Vance had previously said he intended to travel to Switzerland, although he noted that the timing of the trip had not yet been finalized.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen television network reported on Thursday evening that Iran’s negotiating delegation had suspended its trip to Switzerland in response to Israel’s continued attacks on southern Lebanon.

The report said the Iranian delegation had been preparing for the trip to launch the first round of the 60-day talks before deciding to put it on hold.

Tehran has warned that Israel’s ongoing military operations up to 10 kilometers inside Lebanese territory constitute a clear violation of the first clause of the memorandum of understanding and the framework agreement between Iran and the United States.

Under the first clause of the 14-point memorandum of understanding reached between Tehran and Washington, both sides are committed to ending all military operations across all fronts, including Lebanon.