Tehran Suspends Talks With Washington Following Escalation in Southern Lebanon
First round of US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland postponed as disputes over Lebanon emerge as a key obstacle to the implementation of the 14-point memorandum of understanding.
Iran, PUREWILAYAH.COM - The first round of US-Iran talks, which had been scheduled to take place on Friday at the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock, has been postponed after Switzerland’s Foreign Ministry announced that the meeting would not be held as planned.
In a statement, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said the first round of talks “will not take place today as originally scheduled,” while stressing that Switzerland remains prepared to facilitate the negotiations and that logistical and political preparations for hosting the talks continue.
The Swiss announcement came hours after US Vice President JD Vance cancelled a planned visit to Switzerland, where he was expected to meet Iranian negotiators and help launch discussions on implementing the 14-point memorandum of understanding, according to a White House spokesperson.
Lebanon at the Center of the Delay
At the same time, Axios cited American sources as saying that disagreements related to Lebanon were the primary reason behind the postponement of Vance’s visit and the failure to launch a new round of negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
According to the sources, the US vice president had been expected to meet representatives of the Iranian side to discuss mechanisms for implementing the memorandum of understanding. However, differences over regional issues—particularly Lebanon—prevented the negotiations from moving into the direct talks stage.
Tehran had previously emphasized that ending military operations on all fronts, especially in Lebanon, was the most important condition for continuing the negotiations.
Following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs last Sunday, the Iranian Armed Forces announced their readiness to carry out a military response against the occupied territories. However, the acceleration of negotiations by Washington and US agreement to include Lebanon in the memorandum of understanding prevented the operation from being carried out.
It is also noteworthy that US President Donald Trump previously confirmed that Lebanon was included in the memorandum of understanding with Iran.
Disagreements between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have intensified since the signing of the US-Iran memorandum, amid American pressure for an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and criticism of continued Israeli attacks despite the ceasefire agreement.
The US president also stated that he was “not satisfied with the way Israel has handled Lebanon” and said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “must now act more responsibly toward Lebanon.”
Tehran: We Will Not Abandon the Resistance Axis
The postponement was accompanied by Iranian statements carrying clear messages regarding the limits of negotiations and the conditions for their continuation.
The Secretariat of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council stated that the Islamic Republic will continue implementing the directives of the Iranian leadership, particularly with regard to safeguarding the rights of the Iranian people, protecting the Resistance Axis, and preserving the blood of the martyrs.
The council stressed that any future negotiation process must take into account Iran’s interests as well as its political and security concerns.
It added that Tehran continues to view the United States with suspicion due to its record of violating commitments and agreements, emphasizing that the relevant institutions are closely monitoring the negotiations and that any American violation or breach will be met with pre-prepared countermeasures.
IRGC Warns Against US Backtracking
Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sent a message to the Iranian Leader, Ayatollah Sayyed Mojtaba Khamenei, affirming that the Iranian people and Resistance forces stand behind the country in the face of pressure and threats.
The IRGC stressed that if the United States returns to policies of coercion and reneges on its commitments, Iranian forces will be more prepared than ever across land, sea, and air domains, as well as across various theaters of confrontation.
Earlier this week, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters warned that continued Israeli violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon would be met with a severe response.
In a statement, the headquarters said that “the army of the terrorist Zionist entity violated the ceasefire in southern Lebanon after the US president announced the end of the war” and continues to commit crimes and massacres against the Lebanese people.
The statement warned that if the Israeli military “does not cease its crimes in southern Lebanon, it should expect a severe response from the powerful Iranian Armed Forces.” (PW)