High-level negotiations in Switzerland seeking a permanent end to the Iran war ended early Monday morning, with lower-level talks planned for the rest of the week as Iran and the United States agreed to create a "de-confliction cell" to address the fighting in Lebanon.
A statement from mediators Pakistan and Qatar said the cell would include the Lebanese government and would "ensure the adherence of the termination of military operations in Lebanon."
But it remains unclear whether that will be enough to stop fighting between the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah and Israel, which occupies Lebanon and insists it must maintain a free hand to attack militants who are launching attacks into northern Israel.
Iran's foreign minister praised Pakistan and Qatar for their mediation after talks in Switzerland, saying that they "delivered major progress."
The interim deal is meant to stop fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon. Iran has said talks must first address that issue. The US says shipping traffic on the crucial waterway continues, and Trump has threatened to impose American tolls in the strait if a final deal with Iran isn't reached in 60 days.
Other issues include unfreezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets and addressing the heart of tensions: Iran's nuclear program.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck a defiant note, insisting Tehran would not acquire nuclear weapons under his leadership regardless of the outcome of ongoing talks. He claimed Israel had significantly weakened Iran's network and thwarted what he described as plans to destroy Israel, including by targeting key nuclear personnel.
The Israeli leader also defended contentious military decisions, including operations in Rafah and against Hezbollah, despite international pressure against such moves.
Iran War Live Updates: Qatar Rushes To Bring Back Empty LNG Ships
Qatar is seeking to bring more empty liquefied natural gas tankers back home, as the nation aims to return about a fifth of global supply. Three LNG tankers owned by Qatar's state-owned shipping arm are in the Gulf of Oman nearing the eastern entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. Another five vessels linked to the emirate are near eastern Oman, while several more are on the way, ship data shows.
Iran War Live Updates: Syria's President Has No Desire To Intervene In Lebanon
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa says Syria has no desire to intervene militarily in Lebanon, despite US President Donald Trump's remarks suggesting Syria could help "take care of Hezbollah."
Al-Sharaa's comments came in an interview with United Arab Emirates network Al Mashhad on Sunday. He said Trump's remarks had been “misunderstood”.
Trump "spoke about Syria's role in finding a safe and peaceful solution, but the statement was misinterpreted as if Syria were going to invade Lebanon tomorrow morning," al-Sharaa said.
Iran War Live Updates: Iran Details Outcome After First Round Of US Talks
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday that mediation by Pakistan and Qatar had secured significant concessions to end the conflict in Lebanon.
These include the waiving of restrictions on oil and petrochemical exports, the lifting of a blockade, and the release of some frozen Iranian assets, alongside a reconstruction and development plan for the country.
Iran War Live Updates: Key Takeaways From Round 1 Of US-Iran Peace Talks
The United States and Iran concluded the first round of high-level talks under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Burgenstock, Switzerland, on Sunday, with mediators Qatar and Pakistan announcing the formation of a High Level Committee to oversee the negotiations going forward.
Iran War Live Updates: Netanyahu Vows Lasting Israeli Presence In South Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that Israeli forces will remain in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary, while expressing hope for eventual peace with Lebanon once the threat posed by Hezbollah is eliminated.
Iran War Live Updates: Netanyahu Brushes Off War Criticism
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he believes the Iranian government will collapse as a result of the military campaign. Creating the conditions for a popular uprising was one of his original goals. "I think we created the conditions for its future fall,” Netanyahu told the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem.
"That is what will be the real triumph, when the Iranian people take their own destiny in their hands, and they knock out this brutal regime that is terrorising them and terrorising the rest of the world."
Iran War Live Updates: Netanyahu Addresses Alleged Rift With Trump
Giving an address at the JNS summit in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says, "... In the United States, they say that President Trump does everything that I ask him to do. And in Israel, they say that I do everything he wants me to do. Well, neither is true. We're leaders of independent and proud countries. We stand for our interests. I stand for the interests of Israel, and for its security. Often we see eye to eye. Sometimes we don't. But we respect each other's sovereignty and leadership and commitment to our people."
Iran War Live Updates: Netanyahu Says War With Hezbollah Will Continue
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says, "We do everything in our power to protect our people. We don't have a war with Lebanon. We have a war with Hezbollah, who terrorises Lebanon and seeks our destruction. And when that proxy of Iran is no longer a threat, when it's dismantled, when it's disarmed, yes, we'll have peace with Lebanon. And I look forward to signing it..."
Iran War Live Updates: Netanyahu Says Military Stays In Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says, "... No matter what happens in the talks, with an agreement, without an agreement, I pledge to you that Iran, as long as I'm Prime Minister, will never have a nuclear weapon. Never. As long as I am the Prime Minister of Israel, I will not let that happen... As long as we need to protect our people, we will remain in the security zone in South Lebanon... No country would be asked to do otherwise. Now you imagine the United States across the border. You have thousands, an army of thousands of terrorists who pellet your cities and your towns with rockets and ballistic missiles and killer drones. They kill your soldiers, they kill your citizens, they kill your children and they threaten them every day. Well, what would America do? Would it say, well, there's nothing we can do. Let's hold our fire. Is that what America would say? No. You know well what America would do. It would cross the border, create a security zone, kill the terrorists and protect its people until the threat is removed. That's exactly what we are doing."
Iran War Live Updates: Lebanon Fighting Stalls Iran Talks
Iran has tied success in the talks to the end of the fighting there. Israel insists it will continue to occupy Lebanese territory and that it must have a free hand to fight Hezbollah, which has launched attacks into northern Israel.
The talks marked the start of a 60-day diplomatic process that seeks to reach a permanent deal to end the Iran war. But the fighting in Lebanon remains one of the key sticking points.
Meanwhile, Iran insisted it had again shut the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf crucial to energy shipments, while the US said traffic continued.
Iran War Live Updates: Araghchi's Message On X
In his message, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the first real test of the understandings reached would be a deconfliction method created over the fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Pakistan, Qatar and Iran all have acknowledged the end of the first round of high-level talks.
Tireless Pakistani and Qatari mediation has delivered major progress to end Lebanon War. Oil and petrochem exports are waived, blockade lifted, some frozen assets released, and major reconstruction & development plan launched for Iran.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 22, 2026
1st real test: Lebanon deconfliction cell https://t.co/q0okD2qwSO
Iran War Live Updates: Joint Statement By Pakistan And Qatar
Joint Statement by the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Regarding the Conclusion of Lake Lucerne Summit, First High-Level Committee Meeting with Participation of the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran
Iran War Live Updates: High-Level Negotiations End
High-level negotiations in Switzerland seeking a permanent end to the Iran war have ended, mediators said early Monday, while technical talks will go on there for the rest of the week.
Pakistan and Qatar, the two mediators there, issued a statement making the announcement. The United States did not immediately acknowledge it. Iran, through foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei speaking to the state-run IRNA news agency, said “good progress was made”.
(Source: AP)
Iran War Live Updates: Iran Pauses Peace Talks After Trump's 'Will Hit Hard' Warning
Iranian negotiators reportedly walked out of peace talks with the United States in Switzerland on Sunday night after US President Donald Trump threatened to resume military strikes on Iran. Tehran later said the talks had 'paused' but not collapsed entirely, according to Reuters.
Iran War Live Updates: Oil Prices Rise Slightly
US President Donald Trump threatened military action against Iran if Hezbollah resumes attacks on Israel, injecting fresh uncertainty into peace negotiations that had raised hopes of easing tensions in the Middle East. Brent crude climbed as much as 2.2% to above $82 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate traded above $78.
Iran War Live Updates: Negotiators Worked Through The Night
Negotiators hoping to reach a deal to end the war in Iran worked through the night, according to a senior US diplomat engaged in the talks.
The diplomat, who insisted on anonymity to detail private discussions, said the Iranians remained in the talks contrary to some reports, and said that much of the discussions have included clarifying what Iran meant by some of its recent statements about the Strait of Hormuz.
The negotiators also discussed various “mechanisms” to ensure the strait remains open and that a ceasefire in southern Lebanon is enforced.
(Source: AP)