U.S. Vice President JD Vance met Sunday with top Iranian officials at a Swiss resort to advance an interim agreement aimed at ending the recent conflict between the United States and Iran.

Vance held direct talks with Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the Bürgenstock Resort near Lake Lucerne.

Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar joined the sessions. The meetings focused on Tehran’s nuclear program and ensuring the Strait of Hormuz remains open to oil traffic.

Fragile Interim Deal Faces Immediate Tests

The two sides signed the interim agreement last week. It allows Iran to sell oil freely, access frozen assets, and requires steps to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

In return, the U.S. seeks limits on Iran’s nuclear activities and stable passage through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about one-fifth of the world’s traded oil and natural gas.

Iran responded on Saturday with two actions that strained the deal. It announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israel’s continued operations in Lebanon, and stated that little progress was expected in Switzerland.

U.S. Central Command disputed the closure claim and said monitoring confirmed continued maritime traffic.

Also Read: JD Vance Cancels Switzerland Trip for Iran Nuclear Talks, White House Confirms

Iranian officials made clear their main concern remains the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the issue would dominate Sunday’s discussions.

A renewed ceasefire in Lebanon, reached on Saturday, appeared to be holding.

“The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together? Can we turn over a new leaf?” Vance said at the start of the talks, according to pool reports.

Separate Meetings and Key Mediators

Vance first met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir, who has acted as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran. Sharif held separate talks with the Iranian delegation.

Qatari mediators were also present. The schedule included Iranian meetings with the mediators before a planned four-way session with the U.S. team.

The U.S. side included special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who arrived earlier to work on technical details.

Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, landed at Emmen Air Base outside Lucerne early Sunday. Vance planned to stay one or two days, leaving extended negotiations to his deputies.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated Sunday that Iran would not abandon its right to enrich uranium. “What is certain is that we will never back down from the right to enrich uranium, and the other side is also forced to accept it,” he said, according to Iranian state media.

Also Read: JD Vance Warns Israeli Critics Over Trump Iran Deal, Says Israel Depends on U.S. Weapons

60-Day Timeline and Broader Stakes

Negotiators have a 60-day period to finalize technical details with major implications for global energy markets and security. The agreement follows U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites last summer and repeated interruptions in earlier talks.

Iran has approached the process cautiously. “The implementation of any document is more important than its signing,” Baghaei said.

The deal has drawn sharp criticism from Republican hard-liners, who compare it to the 2015 nuclear agreement under President Barack Obama. Trump withdrew from that deal in 2018.

Trump threatened on Saturday to impose U.S. tolls on the Strait of Hormuz if no final deal is reached within 60 days. Oil futures fell nearly 8% after last week’s announcement, as markets assessed the risk of further disruption.

Neither Israel nor Hezbollah signed the U.S.-Iran agreement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israeli forces will remain in southern Lebanon until threats are removed. Hezbollah has conditioned any halt in attacks on Israeli withdrawal.

Follow our WhatsApp Channel and X Account for real-time news updates.