US, Iran agree on 60-day roadmap to reach final deal even as talks stumble

The US and Iran agreed to a 60-day roadmap after talks in Switzerland mediated by Qatar and Pakistan. The plan opens technical negotiations on verification, sanctions, maritime safety and Lebanon deconfliction.

In Short

• US and Iran agree on 60-day roadmap for final peace deal
• New channel set to prevent misunderstandings and manage incidents
• Focus on safe passage through Strait of Hormuz and conflict de-escalation

A fresh diplomatic push between the US and Iran has entered a new phase, with Qatar and Pakistan announcing that Washington and Tehran have agreed on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final peace agreement following high-level talks in Switzerland.

The first round of discussions under the "Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)" concluded at Burgenstock on Sunday, with representatives from Iran, the US, Qatar and Pakistan participating in the negotiations.

In a joint statement issued by mediators Qatar and Pakistan, the talks were described as having taken place in a “positive and constructive atmosphere”, with the parties making “encouraging progress” towards addressing key issues between Washington and Tehran.

The biggest development from the summit was the approval of a roadmap to reach a final agreement within 60 days, with technical-level negotiations expected to begin immediately.

The new mechanism is aimed at moving discussions beyond political commitments and towards detailed arrangements on implementation, verification and compliance.

A direct communication channel has also been created between the parties to prevent misunderstandings, reduce the risk of escalation and manage incidents during the negotiation period.

The mechanism will also focus on ensuring the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes and a key flashpoint in US-Iran conflict.

As part of the framework, the US and Iran agreed to establish a high-level committee that will provide political oversight and direction regarding the mediation process.

The committee will receive regular updates from the chief negotiators, who will lead separate working groups focused on nuclear-related issues, sanctions, monitoring mechanisms, dispute resolution arrangements and other matters linked to the implementation of the memorandum of understanding.

In another major step, the parties agreed to establish a de-confliction cell involving Iran, the US and Lebanon, facilitated by Qatar and Pakistan, to monitor the implementation of the cessation of military operations in Lebanon and prevent renewed clashes.

Technical discussions are expected to continue through the week at the Burgenstock resort as negotiators work on the details of the proposed framework.

The Switzerland negotiations marked the beginning of discussions under an initial peace framework, with delegations participating in the quadrilateral talks involving the US, Iran, Qatar and Pakistan.

The US delegation was led by Vice President JD Vance and included special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, while Iran was represented by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army chief Asim Munir and Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also took part in the talks.

The negotiations came amid mixed signals from Washington, with US President Donald Trump issuing a warning even as diplomatic discussions were underway.

While Trump maintained a tough stance, Vance sought to project optimism from the negotiating table, saying progress had been made towards maintaining the ceasefire in Lebanon and advancing efforts to reset ties with Tehran.

- Ends