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03:27
US, Iran Agree On Roadmap Toward Reaching Final Deal, Mediators Say
The Pakistani and Qatari mediators in the negotiations between the US and Iran said in a joint statement on June 22 that an 18-hour first round of talks have concluded with “encouraging progress,” with the two sides agreeing on a framework toward reaching a final deal.
Many of the steps announced appear to consist of establishing methods of ensuring safe ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and on ending fighting in Lebanon as agreed in the previously signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the US and Iran.
US officials did not immediately comment.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry, in remarks reported by Iranian state media, said and that a US blockade of ports had been lifted, “some frozen assets” had been released, and a “major reconstruction development plan launched for Iran.”
SEE ALSO:
Trump Threatens Tehran Over Hezbollah As US-Iran Talks Begin In Switzerland
“The Lake Lucerne Summit was conducted in a positive and constructive atmosphere,”a joint statementby the Qatari and Pakistani Foreign Ministries said.
“Encouraging progress has been made including the creation of a mechanism for further technical talks.”
The statement said that building on the previously agreed memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Washington and Tehran, “the parties have agreed to the establishment of a High Level Committee, which will provide political oversight on the mediation.”
The committee has agreed on a roadmap toward reaching a final deal within 60 days, it said, “laying the foundation for the immediate commencement of further technical talks.”
It said that a “communication line” has been created for the 60-day period “to avoid incidents and miscommunication with the aim of safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.”
The statement added that a “deconfliction cell” will be created involving the US, Iran, and Lebanon — to be “facilitated by the mediators” — to ensure the termination of military operations in Lebanon as set out in the MOU.
It said technical talks will continue for the remainder of the week at the Burgenstock venue on “all issues.”
(This is a developing story; more to come)
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02:01
Shipping Slows Through Hormuz After Iran Claims Waterway Closed Again
The number of vessels that passed through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply after Tehran claimed it had again closed the important waterway, shipping data showed.
Tehran said it had closed the strait — through which some 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas supplies transited prewar — saying it was in retaliation for US and Israeli violations of an interim cease-fire deal.
A very large crude carrier (VLCC), which can carry some 2 million barrels of oil (illustrative photo).
Data from analytics firm Kpler showed that five ships crossed the strait on June 21, down from 26 ships detected one day earlier.
Three ships were identified as very large crude carriers (VLCC) holding 2 million barrels of Saudi crude and fuel oil each, one of which was heading to Japan.
Some vessels that have switched off their transponders while traveling through the Gulf may not be included in the data.
Tehran lifted its blockade of the strait last week after agreeing with the US to extend a cease-fire announced in April for a further 60 days to allow for peace negotiations to take place.
But on June 20, the hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) again declared the waterway closed in response to Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
The US military insisted commercial vessels were still operating.
With reporting by ReutersShare
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01:33
Iran Soccer Team Says Adversity Has Brought Unity Following Second Draw
Players on Iran’s World Cup soccer team said adversity has brought stronger unity after they held heavily favored Belgium to a 0-0 draw in a group match on June 21 in Los Angeles — which gives the team a chance to reach the knockout stage for the first time.
Because of measures imposed by the US government amid the Middle East war, the team has been required to stay outside the US between matches, forcing players and officials to return to their base in Tijuana, Mexico, immediately following each outing.
Some team officials have been banned from the US because of links to the hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
Midfielder Alireza Jahanbakhsh said the difficulties had strengthened unity within the team.
“I think it is part of our culture that in a difficult situation, we perform better,” Jahanbakhsh told reporters.
Iranian soccer fans watch a broadcast of the June 21 World Cup match shown in Tehran.
“It has united us even more, and that’s one of the things that we’ve shown today. We showed great team character.”
Iran has two points after two matches, having held New Zealand to 2-2 draw.
It will face Egypt in Seattle on June 26 in its final group match. A victory would send the team into the knockout stage, which would mark the first time ever for the country in World Cup competition.
With reporting by ReutersShare
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00:43
US, Iranian Delegations ‘Working Through Night,’ Senior Diplomat Says
US and Iranian delegations are “working through the night” in Burgenstock, Switzerland, as they attempt to transform a fragile memorandum of understanding into a broader political settlement, a senior US diplomat engaged in the negotiations said early on June 22.
“The Iranian delegation is still at the negotiating venue, and the US delegation expects to continue working through the night,” according to the US diplomat, who added that “discussions remain ongoing.”
US Vice President JD Vance (right) and Jared Kushner (back left) at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex in Switzerland.
The remarks come after some confusion following a walkout of the four-party talks by Tehran’s delegation in protest to US President Donald Trump’s latest threats of military action. Qatari and Pakistani mediators worked to prevent a breakup of the negotiations, officials said.
Iran’s Press TV had said the talks concluded for the night at about 10 p.m. on June 21, although there was no official confirmation from any participating party.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency, which is linked to Iran’s hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), said Tehran’s delegation walked out of the meeting in protest to Trump’s latest threats.
But, citing “informed sources,” Tasnim added that messages continued to be exchanged through Qatari and Pakistani mediators.
In the past, direct negotiations have at times broken up but exchanges of messages continued for hours through mediators at the venue.
It was not immediately clear if further sessions would be scheduled at the Swiss resort should the initial session fail to bring about a final agreement
The US diplomat said discussions have included clarifying some of the confusing messaging from Iran on the Strait [of Hormuz] and building deconfliction mechanisms to ensure the strait will remain fully open.
We have also worked through deconfliction mechanisms and enforcing the cease-fire in southern Lebanon, the diplomat said.
The diplomat said there have been robust discussions on all elements of the nuclear deal, and that they plan to use the first session’s work as a starting point for ongoing technical talks going forward.
RFE/RL correspondent Alex Raufoglu contributed to this report.Share
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23:55
21.6.2026
No Official Word Yet Out Of US-Iran Talks In Switzerland
There was no official word out of the four-party talks as midnight approached in Burgenstock, Switzerland, where US and Iranian delegations were joined by Pakistani and Qatari mediators seeking to convert a fragile memorandum of understanding into a broader political settlement.
Iran’s Press TV said the talks had concluded for the night at about 10 p.m. on June 21, although there was no official confirmation from any participating party.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency, which is linked to Iran’s hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), said Tehran’s delegation walked out of the meeting in protest to US President Donald Trump’s latest threats of military action.
But, citing “informed sources,” Tasnim added that messages continued to be exchanged through Qatari and Pakistani mediators.
US officials did not comment or confirm that talks had concluded for the first round of negotiations.
In the past, direct negotiations have at times broken up but exchanges of messages continued for hours at the talks through mediators.
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22:41
21.6.2026
Syrian Leader Says No Interest In Military Intervention In Lebanon
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa denied that his country was looking to intervene militarily in Lebanon after US President Donald Trump repeatedly suggested Damascus could get involved in the war there between Israel and Hezbollah.
“We are looking for economic channels between Lebanon and Syria, not military ones,” Sharaa said in an interview broadcast on Al Mashhad TV on June 21.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (file photo).
Iran-backed Hezbollah, a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon, is considered a terrorist organization by the US, while the EU has blacklisted its armed wing but not its political branch.
On June 21, Trump told Fox News he was “disappointed Israel can’t put Hezbollah away.”
In reference to the fight against Hezbollah, Trump said, “I’m close to giving it over to Syria.”
At the recent G7 summit in France, Trump also said “if Israel can’t do the job [against Hezbollah] without killing everyone else, then he [Sharaa] will do the job. Syria will do the job.”
With reporting by AFPShare
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19:07
21.6.2026
Iran’s Top Negotiator Warns Washington Against Threats
(File photo) Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf speaks during a session of the Iranian Parliament’s Coordination Council.
Iranian parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned Washington against making threats toward Tehran after US President Donald Trump said he would hit Iran “very hard again” over its “proxies” in Lebanon.
“Don’t they think that if their threats had any effect, they would not have reached today’s state of desperation? We do not take American threats into account,” Qalibaf, who is leading Iranian diplomats in Tehran’s talks with the United States, said.
“They would do better to be careful with their statements; our armed forces are ready to respond to them in a different manner. No matter what they say, we are the ones who act,” he added.
SEE ALSO:
Trump Threatens Tehran Over Hezbollah As US-Iran Talks Begin In Switzerland
The exchange between Trump and Qalibaf came as US-Iran implementation talks resumed, with senior US and Iranian delegations converging in Switzerland for what could prove to be a decisive phase in transforming a fragile wartime memorandum into a broader political settlement.
While there were no immediate details on the outcome of the June 21 round of negotiations following Qalibaf’s comments, the Israeli-Lebanese conflict and the Strait of Hormuz appeared to remain major fault lines.
On the eve of the talks in Switzerland, Iran’s military announced that it was again closing the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping in response to the cease-fire violations in Lebanon.
Map: The Strait Of Hormuz
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16:44
21.6.2026
Trump Threatens To Hit Iran ‘Very Hard Again’ Over Hezbollah
US President Donald Trump threatened to hit Iran “very hard again” over its “proxies” in Lebanon, as high-level talks are now under way between US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian representatives at the Burgenstock resort in Switzerland on June 21.
“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble,” Trump posted on social media, referring to Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has been exchanging fire with Israel.
“If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!! the US president wrote.
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15:41
21.6.2026
Israel Says Troops Free To Act In Lebanon As Cease-Fire Tested
The ftermath of an Israeli strike in Barish, Tyre district, Lebanon, on June 20.
Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon are free to take action to remove threats, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said, as tensions persist despite a cease-fire, casting a shadow over talks between US and Iranian negotiators in Switzerland.
Katz said on June 21 that troops remained in position in what Israel calls a security zone extending about 10 kilometers into southern Lebanon. He said the protection of Israeli soldiers and civilians is the highest and unrestricted priority. Lebanon considers the zone an illegal occupation under international law.
“All of the IDF’s [Israel Defense Forces] achievements in the campaign in Lebanon are being preserved, with our forces deployed in the security zone along the Yellow Line in Lebanon and operating from there inward against terrorists and terrorist infrastructures,” Katz said in a statement.
A cease-fire took effect on June 19 between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. The group is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union has blacklisted its armed wing but not its political branch.
The cease-fire followed months of escalating cross-border violence.
However, Israeli air strikes have killed dozens of people in Lebanon since it took effect, according to Lebanese officials.
Israel said the strikes were in response to projectiles fired at its troops in the south, targeting what an Israeli official described as Hezbollah positions.
A Hezbollah official told Reuters the group remains committed to the truce as long as Israel does the same, saying Israeli forces do not have freedom of movement in southern Lebanon.
The official said Hezbollah had not fired on Israeli troops since 6:30 p.m. local time on June 20. Security sources told Reuters that Israel had also launched no major strikes since that time, marking the longest lull since fighting erupted on March 2.
Iranian officials say Lebanon will be a focal point of peace talks in Switzerland, following a framework agreement aimed at halting the broader conflict that began in late February.
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14:55
21.6.2026
US-Iran Talks Begin At Swiss Resort Amid Fragile Regional Truce
US Vice President JD Vance (right) shakes hands with Pakistani Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, next to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Bergenstock resort on June 21.
LUCERNE, Switzerland — High-level talks have begun between US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian representatives at the Burgenstock resort in Switzerland, launching what could become the most consequential diplomatic effort yet to stabilize the Middle East after near fourly months of war.
Iranian state media as well as the Foreign Ministry of Qatar, which is acting as mediator, announced the start of negotiations on June 21.
The formal talks are centered on implementing the US-Iran memorandum of understanding (MOU) that established a 60-day cease-fire.
While the core focus remains Iran’s nuclear program and mechanisms for deescalation, the talks are expected to unfold across multiple tracks, with side sessions addressing regional flashpoints including Lebanon and maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz. Neither Israel nor Lebanon is directly represented, but both conflicts loom heavily over the discussions.
To read the full report, clickhere.
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