Switzerland to Host Key US-Iran Ceasefire Negotiations With Qatari, Pakistani Participation

US-Iran Technical Talks Set for Switzerland as Pakistan, Qatar Join Mediation Effort

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday announced that technical-level discussions between the United States and Iran will take place in Burgenstock, Switzerland, on Sunday as diplomatic efforts continue to consolidate a recently agreed truce framework.

In a statement, the ministry said representatives from Pakistan and Qatar would participate as mediators during the talks, which are aimed at advancing negotiations following the interim understanding reached between Washington and Tehran earlier this week.

“As a follow-up to the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, technical-level talks will be held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, on 21 June,” the statement said.

Vance Signals Switzerland Visit

The announcement came shortly after US Vice President JD Vance indicated that he expects to travel to Switzerland in the coming days as negotiations move into a more detailed phase. Speaking to Fox News, Vance said preparations were underway and described ongoing discussions as encouraging.

“I expect that I will leave some time in the next couple of days, but it’s always a delicate coordination process,” he said. The vice president had postponed an earlier planned trip this week amid uncertainty surrounding regional security developments.

Vance added that senior US officials, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, were already in Switzerland working on technical aspects of the negotiations and had conveyed positive assessments of progress.

Iranian Delegation Heads to Europe

Iranian state media also reported that Tehran’s negotiating team is travelling to Switzerland for the discussions. The reports came after Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei cautioned that recent developments had created challenges for the agreement’s future implementation, highlighting ongoing tensions in the region.

The remarks coincided with renewed disputes over the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian authorities accused the United States and Israel of failing to uphold commitments linked to a broader ceasefire framework.

Focus on Regional Stability

The Switzerland talks are expected to mark the beginning of an extended negotiating process aimed at resolving outstanding issues between the two countries, particularly those related to Iran’s nuclear programme and regional security concerns.

Diplomatic efforts have also focused on reducing tensions in Lebanon, where sporadic exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah have continued despite a ceasefire announced earlier this week. Officials hope the latest round of talks will help preserve the truce framework, maintain stability in critical shipping lanes, and create momentum for a broader political settlement in the region.

With mediators from Pakistan and Qatar joining the process, Sunday’s discussions are being viewed as an important step in determining whether recent diplomatic gains can be translated into a more durable agreement.