Susanna Riva I direct negotiations between United States e Iran they opened after the signing of a memorandum of understanding which allowed us to start a comparison on Lake Lucerne, in SwitzerlandThe official objective is to lay the foundations for the cessation of hostilities and to verify measures on some sensitive issues, including the situation in Lebanon and the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
However, the first round was marked by tensions and a temporary suspension of work decided by the Iranian delegation for internal consultations.
The Iranian delegation was led by the Speaker of the Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and by the Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchiwhile the US counterpart was led by the Vice President JD VanceThe discussions were also mediated by third countries and had moments of stalemate due to divergent positions and external interventions which complicated the climate of the talks.
Reactions to Donald Trump's statements and the disruption of work
During the early stages of the talks, the President Donald Trump he relaunched a series of public messages that contributed to increasing the tension: among the most incisive statements there is the warning on the control of the Strait of Hormuzsummarized in the expression «If the Iranians close the Strait of Hormuz, they will no longer have a country».
These words provoked an immediate reaction in Tehran and, according to official Iranian communications, the delegation temporarily suspended participation in the negotiations for internal consultations.
At the same time, on the US side, the Vice President JD Vance He spoke of "great progress" and of a meeting that could usher in a new phase of relations, while the media strategy included interventions on both television channels and social media platforms. The gap between the tone of the delegation leader and the president's statements contributed to a scenario in which the diplomatic negotiation remained open but fragile.
Key moments and figures from the first round
During the first sessions, concrete elements emerged: there is talk of a nearly complete draft for a temporary exemption for Iranian oil sales from some US sanctions, and aspects related to the nuclear program also entered the discussions, even though Tehran attempted to limit the agenda. The parties agreed to continue the negotiations at technical levels after the initial political phase; the second meeting is scheduled for 22nd June in Switzerland.
Regional context: Lebanon, Nabatieh, costs of the conflict and international pressures
The conflict in Lebanon and the raids in the region of Nabatieh have weighed on the opening of talks. Iran has linked its willingness to negotiate to conditions that include a cessation of the war in Lebanon, emphasizing that without this element, broader agreements will not be possible. On the military and financial fronts, estimates have circulated quantifying the impact of the conflict: for example, it has been reported that the cost incurred by the U.S. Department of Defense runs into the tens of billions, a figure that highlights the economic burden of the war effort.
Meanwhile, regional and international actors have urged rapid progress and measures to safeguard maritime transit: the head of Iran's oil company said that millions of barrels of oil have passed through the so-called "virtual blockade line" of the Strait of Hormuz in previous weeks, while third-party brokers have announced temporary measures to ensure that no through-trade duties are imposed for a limited period.
Israel's positions and political statements
Da Israel Clear positions were reached regarding the threat of an Iranian nuclear program: Israeli leaders reaffirmed their commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and clarified that military action and presence in southern Lebanon will continue as long as deemed necessary for national security. This issue was one of the issues discussed indirectly during the sessions, as it is part of the regional framework that the negotiations seek to stabilize.
Returning to diplomacy in Switzerland, the interlocutors agreed to continue technical contacts beyond the first political round: substantial challenges remain, but also opportunities to reach partial agreements on economic and security issues that could help de-escalate the conflict. The next 24 hours are critical for consolidating the progress announced and defining the technical points to be pursued.
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