JD Vance delays Switzerland trip for US-Iran technical peace talks

JD Vance has postponed his Switzerland visit for technical talks with Iranian negotiators. The delay clouds the next phase of implementing the new US-Iran peace deal.

In Short

• Negotiators were to discuss technical details of the 14-point MoU
• White House said plans remain fluid and departure can happen soon
• Iranian officials had indicated the Switzerland meeting date was unsettled

US Vice President JD Vance has postponed his visit to Switzerland for talks with Iranian negotiators, with the White House saying logistical issues were behind the delay. The talks were meant to work out the technical aspects of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the US and Iran after a peace deal between the two countries.

The negotiations were scheduled to be held in Switzerland on Friday, but Vance had raised doubts about travelling to Lucerne and Iranian negotiators had said the date was yet to be fixed. The White House said the plans had not been finalised and that the US delegation was ready to leave at the first available opportunity.

"As the Vice President said at his press conference, the plans for the upcoming technical talks have not been finalised, and the US delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity," a White House spokesperson said on Thursday.

"But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable. As of now, the Vice President is not departing tonight. We will let you know as soon as we have a concrete update about next steps," the spokesperson said.

US President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, signed a peace deal on Thursday aimed at ending the months-long conflict in West Asia. The deal took effect immediately and extended the ceasefire, giving both sides 60 days to negotiate the technical details of the issues mentioned in the 14-point MoU.

Addressing a press conference at the White House on Thursday, Vance said the US was committed to "implement our side" of the first phase of the peace deal signed with Iran. He said the 60-day period set out in the MoU began on Thursday.

In sum, the technical talks linked to the US-Iran peace deal have been delayed for now, with the White House saying travel plans are on hold until the next steps are finalised.

With PTI Inputs

- Ends