US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that talks with Iran were making progress, expressing optimism that negotiators could advance discussions further as senior delegations met in Switzerland to address Tehran’s nuclear programme and regional security issues.
Delegations from the United States and Iran began closed-door talks at the Burgenstock resort overlooking Lake Lucerne, with representatives from Qatar and Pakistan participating as facilitators.
Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Vance said negotiations had already yielded encouraging results.
“We’ve already made great progress over just the last few hours, and I expect that we’ll make additional progress in the hours to come,” he said.
The talks are focused primarily on Iran’s nuclear programme, though regional security issues, including efforts to maintain the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, are also expected to feature prominently.
Asked about the situation in Lebanon and Israel’s military operations there, Vance said recent diplomatic efforts had produced positive results, while acknowledging that differences remained over how best to achieve long-term stability.
“There are, of course, going to be disagreements about precisely how to get there, but I actually feel good about where we are in Lebanon,” he said, adding that further work was needed to consolidate progress.
Responding to a question about allegations of genocide in Lebanon, Vance defended Washington’s role in seeking to end the conflict, saying the United States had played a leading role in efforts to reduce tensions and support peace initiatives in recent months.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf were later seen arriving at the venue, where the negotiations are taking place under the banner of the “Lake Lucerne Summit”.
The outcome of the talks is being closely watched by regional and international stakeholders amid efforts to revive diplomacy with Tehran and prevent a wider conflict in the Middle East.
-IANS
