Trump envoy, Iranian minister head to Switzerland for talks

WASHINGTON – US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi were both headed to Switzerland for talks, US news agency Axios said on June 20, as a ceasefire in Lebanon appeared to revive efforts to turn an interim Iran war pact into a lasting regional deal.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in Lebanon on June 20 after escalating fighting cast doubt over US-Iran talks critical to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and stabilising oil supplies.

That followed a 14-point memorandum the two sides signed this week to halt fighting and open a 60-day window to resolve disputes over Iran’s nuclear programme, as well as other thorny issues needed to forge a more durable deal.

US Vice President J.D. Vance cancelled plans on June 18 to travel to Switzerland for the talks, however, amid rising tension in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, a militant group backed by Iran.

With the ceasefire in place, Witkoff is heading to Switzerland to join Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, who is already there, Axios said. Araqchi plans to travel there on June 20, it added.

The development may signal that both sides intend to begin technical negotiations aimed at securing a permanent truce.

The White House did not respond to questions about Witkoff’s travel.

A senior US official said the ceasefire took effect around 4pm (9pm Singapore time) in Lebanon following an exchange of fire, adding that negotiators for the US and Qatar had worked out the agreement with help from Iran.

Two sources from Hezbollah and a senior Israeli official 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, adding that Israel would keep its forces in southern Lebanon, where it has occupied an area along its northern border.

Two Lebanese security sources said Israel had carried out a dozen airstrikes in the first hour of the ceasefire but none were recorded after 5pm.

Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli strikes after midnight into June 19 had killed 47 people and wounded 97, while the Israeli military said four soldiers had been killed in an incident in Lebanon, without giving further details.

The conflict in Lebanon could weigh on negotiations because ending fighting there is a condition for the broader US-Iran accord.

Following the signing of the memorandum of understanding on June 17, preparations for technical talks at the Swiss mountaintop resort of Buergenstock were well advanced when the White House said on June 18 that Vance would not attend.

The Swiss foreign ministry said the talks had been postponed but Switzerland stood ready to facilitate them and preparatory work was continuing.

The broad interim deal requires the US, Iran and their allies to declare an immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.

Israel, left out of the talks, says it is not party to the deal.

Araqchi, in a telephone call with his Pakistani counterpart on June 19, said the US would be responsible for any violation of its commitments under the deal, including ending the fighting in Lebanon, his ministry said.

Lebanon was sucked into the regional war when Hezbollah opened fire at Israel on March 2, prompting it to launch an offensive against the group and invade the south of the country.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the latest Israeli attacks but said the escalation would not hinder efforts to reach a comprehensive ceasefire.

The US State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Aoun and reiterated the need to disarm Hezbollah, while reaffirming US support for a “fully sovereign” Lebanese state.

It said they also discussed holding a next round of Israel-Lebanon negotiations in Washington from June 23 to June 25. The Lebanese presidency said a comprehensive ceasefire was a fundamental pillar for these talks.

The Iran war, which began on Feb 28 with US and Israeli air attacks on Iran, has killed at least 7,000 people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon. It also pushed up energy prices, stoking inflation worldwide.

Brent crude ticked higher on June 19, but was set for a weekly fall of about 8 per cent after the Lebanon ceasefire, and oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz picked up after the signing of this week’s deal.

The strait carried nearly a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before it was blockaded by Iran during the war.

The body set up by Iran to manage the strait said on June 19 it would waive planned fees during the interim deal's negotiation period.

The MoU foresees relief for Iran from economic sanctions, the unfreezing of assets worth tens of billions of dollars and immediate US waivers for its exports of oil. It also provides for a US$300 billion (S$387.72 billion) reconstruction fund for Iran and other financial incentives.

Trump again defended the deal after criticism in Washington, including some from Republican allies in Congress who question whether he conceded too much to end a war unpopular with most Americans ahead of midterm elections in November.

“The War has diminished Iran!” he wrote on social media on June 19, 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!” REUTERS