The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs announced that the critical talks planned between the United States and Iran in the town of Bürgenstock have been canceled. While the White House confirmed that Vice President JD Vance had canceled his trip to Switzerland, Tehran stated that the leaders had already signed the agreement remotely and that a formal signing ceremony was therefore unnecessary.
According to Swiss diplomatic sources speaking to Western media, the negotiations that were expected to take place between US and Iranian delegations on Friday will no longer be held.
Delegations Changed Their Schedules
The White House confirmed that US Vice President JD Vance canceled his planned visit to Switzerland, where he was expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with Iran. Despite the cancellation of the signing ceremony, Washington emphasized that it wants technical-level negotiations with Tehran to begin as soon as possible. The US side had previously stated that the travel schedule would be finalized according to the arrival time of the Iranian delegation.
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided a different detail regarding the process. In a statement, the ministry said that the heads of state of both countries had already signed the memorandum remotely, eliminating the need for an official signing ceremony in Switzerland. However, Tehran stressed that it still intends to participate in future talks with the United States.
What Does the June 18 Memorandum Include?
The two countries remotely signed a memorandum of understanding on the night of June 18 in an effort to end the military conflict that began on February 28. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the agreement aims to immediately halt military operations on all fronts, including Israel’s operations in Lebanon.
The key provisions of the memorandum, under which both sides pledged to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, include:
- Strait of Hormuz: Iran will not charge transit fees for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days.
- Economic Assistance: The United States and its Middle Eastern allies will prepare a reconstruction program worth at least $300 billion for Iran.
- Sanctions Relief: Washington will lift sanctions on Tehran according to a timetable to be agreed upon in the final agreement.
- Nuclear Commitments: Iran will commit not to produce nuclear weapons, while the future of its nuclear materials will be determined under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
US Vice President JD Vance had previously stated that the 60-day negotiation process, which is expected to produce the framework for a final agreement, officially began on Thursday.