Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Switzerland for talks with Iran has been postponed. The US and Iran had agreed to a 60-day window for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.
Background
The agreement states that Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium must be diluted under international supervision. Iran shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons — a commitment it has made previously.
The US push to quickly begin high-stakes talks with Iran hit a snag just two days after the signing of the agreement. Fighting in southern Lebanon intensified, with at least 18 killed by Israeli airstrikes, while four Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon.
Iran’s Position
Iran believes it’s in a strong negotiating position after effectively shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, causing global economic reverberations. The Iranian leadership feels it has the upper hand, with the US now trying to negotiate its way back to the prewar status quo.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei endorsed direct negotiations with the US in a statement, signaling to the Islamic Republic’s leadership that it could move forward with a first round of talks.
Original reporting: KTSA News/Talk (San Antonio) — read the source article.
