US, Iran Agree on 60-Day Roadmap for Final Deal After Switzerland Talks

The United States and Iran have agreed on a roadmap aimed at securing a final agreement within 60 days after the first session of high-level negotiations under the 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concluded in Switzerland's Burgenstock. Mediators Qatar and Pakistan described the discussions as constructive, although tensions resurfaced following remarks by US President Donald Trump directed at Tehran.

High-Level Committee formed to oversee negotiations

The first round of talks, held at the Lake Lucerne Summit in Burgenstock, concluded in what mediators Qatar and Pakistan described as a "positive and constructive atmosphere," according to a joint statement issued on Monday.

The statement announced the creation of a mechanism for technical negotiations and the establishment of a High-Level Committee that will provide political oversight for the mediation process. Chief negotiators JD Vance for the United States and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf for Iran will report regularly to the committee while leading working groups focused on nuclear issues, sanctions, and a monitoring and dispute resolution mechanism to support implementation of the MoU.

"The High Level Committee has agreed upon a roadmap towards reaching a final deal within 60 days, laying the foundation for the immediate commencement of further technical talks," the statement said.

Technical discussions on outstanding issues are expected to continue throughout the week at the Burgenstock resort.

Direct communication line, Hormuz security mechanism agreed

As part of the confidence-building measures, the two sides agreed to establish a direct communication channel during the negotiation period.

The statement said, "In addition, a communication line between the parties has been formed for the period mentioned in paragraph 5 of the MoU to avoid incidents and miscommunication with the aim of safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz."

The parties also agreed to create a de-confliction cell involving Lebanon, facilitated by Qatar and Pakistan, to ensure compliance with the termination of military operations in Lebanon outlined under the MoU.

Qatar and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the negotiations and thanked both Washington and Tehran for their continued engagement in diplomacy. The mediators also expressed appreciation to friendly nations supporting the peace process.

Trump's warning sparks Iranian backlash

Despite progress in the negotiations, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said that President Donald Trump's recent threats against Iran led Tehran to suspend the quadrilateral meeting format involving the United States, Iran, Qatar and Pakistan.

According to Iranian state media IRIB, Baghaei said technical discussions continued, including talks on Iranian oil sales, the release of frozen assets and maritime security arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iran chose not to continue the quadrilateral format after Trump warned that Washington would hit Iran "very hard" if it did not "immediately stop their highly paid proxies in Lebanon."

Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf condemned the remarks, describing them as evidence of American "desperation" and insisting that Tehran would not be intimidated.

Following Trump's comments, Ghalibaf wrote on X that Iran would not bow to pressure from Washington and that its armed forces were prepared to respond if necessary.

The exchange followed Trump's criticism of Iran's support for regional groups, particularly in Lebanon. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, "Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don't, we'll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!"

(With inputs from ANI)