US Vice-President JD Vance departed for Switzerland on Saturday for peace talks with the Iranian team and to end the West Asia conflict , saying negotiators would discuss the Islamic republic’s nuclear program and the Lebanon ceasefire.

“I think we’re going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue. Those are the two big things that I think we’re to be focused on,” Vance told AFP before departing from Joint Base Andrews, saying he could only join the talks “for a day or two.”

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The
Iranian delegation arrived in Iran on Saturday led by chief negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and included Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi as well as senior security, central bank and oil officials, Iranian media said.

BREAKING: Iranian delegation arrives in Switzerland for US talks pic.twitter.com/70f4dEYBT3

— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) June 20, 2026Pakistan to participate in talks

Pakistan will also take part in the US-Iran peace talks scheduled to be held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, after the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir will participate in the talks alongside a high-level Pakistani delegation. The delegation has departed from Islamabad for Switzerland.

As a follow-up to the signing of Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, technical-level talks will be held in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, on 21 June 2026.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and COAS & CDF Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir will participate in these talks.

The… pic.twitter.com/GTkR9hDFnz

— Prime Minister’s Office (@PakPMO) June 20, 2026STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADMassive wave of strikes in Lebanon

The
series of talks were postponed at the last minute as they were scheduled to take place in Switzerland on Friday as Israel carried out a wave of strikes in
Lebanon after four of its soldiers were killed in combat.

Following more clashes, both Israel and Hezbollah have accused the other of violating the new truce that was part of the preliminary accord signed by the US and Iran this week.

Strait of Hormuz again closed

US President Donald Trump in a social media post on Saturday wrote that no toll will be charged for passage through the Strait during or after the 60-day ceasefire — unless the US imposes one should peace talks fail.

Whereas, Iran’s top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, announced on Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz would be closed to vessel traffic, accusing the United States and Israel of violating a ceasefire agreement.

Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, accused the US on X of failing to implement the first clause of its 14-point interim deal with Iran, which includes a ceasefire “on all fronts”, including Lebanon.

Vance says we have to ensure peace between Israel and Lebanon

Vance said that the situation in Lebanon was “actually getting better.”

“It’s going to be something we’re just going to have to continuously manage to ensure that… Israel and Lebanon are both safe and secure,” he said.

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“The big problem is that you have somebody will shoot and then somebody will respond, and you kind of have a chicken and egg problem where you’ve just got to stop the shooting for long enough to get the ceasefire to keep hold,” the US-Vice President added.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran would press in Switzerland for fulfilment of commitments, citing past failures by the other side to honour agreements.