With an agreement on a 60-day roadmap toward a final settlement and the creation of new oversight mechanisms, the first round of talks between the U.S. and Iran in Switzerland. Despite the tension caused by Donald Trump’s statements regarding the Strait of Hormuz and the temporary setbacks during the talks, both sides reported substantial progress on critical issues.

According to the Tasnim news agency, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai announced that the work of the negotiating delegations had been completed and that the baton would now be passed to the technical teams, which will continue discussions throughout the week in Switzerland.

Read more: Iranians Walked Out of Negotiations Following New Threats from Trump

He claimed that “good progress” had been made regarding the implementation of the commitments made by both sides and confirmed that an agreement had been reached to establish a mechanism to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, stated that the mediation efforts of Pakistan and Qatar have led to “significant progress” in efforts to end the war in Lebanon.

In a post on the X platform, the head of Iranian diplomacy stated that the consultations envisage the lifting of restrictions on exports of oil and petrochemical products, as well as the unfreezing of a portion of Iran’s frozen assets.

Tireless Pakistani and Qatari mediation has led to major progress toward ending the Lebanon War. Oil and petrochemical exports are exempted, the blockade has been lifted, some frozen assets have been released, and a major reconstruction and development plan has been launched for Iran.

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The first real test: the Lebanon deconfliction cell https://t.co/q0okD2qwSO

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 22, 2026

Araghchi also stated that a major reconstruction and economic development program for Iran is underway, referring to it as the “first real test” of a de-escalation process in the region.

Sanctions, oil, and frozen assets
were on the table. According to Baghai, the talks focused on the remaining issues that need to be resolved in order to begin the final phase of negotiations.

These include the unfreezing of Iranian assets that remain frozen abroad and the granting of exemptions from sanctions restricting Iranian oil exports.

Earlier, Hossein Gurbanzadeh, a member of the Iranian negotiating team, had stated on state television that the two sides discussed specific procedures for the release of frozen funds, as well as the final draft proposal for the temporary lifting of restrictions on exports of oil and petroleum products.

Roadmap to a Final Agreement
Qatar and Pakistan, which are mediating the talks between Washington and Tehran, announced that the talks took place in a “positive and constructive atmosphere” and that “encouraging progress” had been made.

In their joint statement, they announced that an agreement had been reached to establish a High-Level Committee, which will provide political oversight of the process.

The chief negotiators will regularly brief the committee, while special working groups will be established to address the nuclear program, sanctions, as well as for monitoring and resolving disputes that may arise during the implementation of the memorandum of understanding.

The mediators also revealed that the two sides agreed on a roadmap aimed at reaching a final agreement within the next 60 days.

New Mechanism for Lebanon
Another significant outcome of the talks was an agreement to establish a special de-escalation mechanism involving Lebanon and facilitated by Qatar and Pakistan.

The goal is to monitor the security situation and ensure the cessation of military operations in Lebanon, where clashes between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah continue despite ceasefire agreements.

Trump’s Threats and Tehran’s
Response The negotiations were marked by renewed tension when Donald Trump told Fox News that the United States could “seize” the Strait of Hormuz if no agreement is reached.

“We may seize the Strait, if necessary. If they don’t reach an agreement, we’ll charge a toll,” said the U.S. president.

During the same interview, he warned that U.S. airstrikes could resume and made it clear to the Iranian side that closing the strategic sea lane would have serious consequences.

These statements provoked a strong reaction from the head of the Iranian delegation, Mohammad Bayer Galibaf, who called on Washington “to measure its words” and warned that the Iranian armed forces are ready to respond.

A temporary impasse but not a breakdown in the talks
During the talks, the Iranian delegation temporarily withdrew from the negotiating room, with the IRNA news agency attributing the move to Trump’s statements and social media posts.

Despite the incident, sources in Tehran clarified that the process had not ended, but had merely been temporarily suspended.

Iranian state television also stated that the first round of talks did not address the nuclear program, but rather the implementation of the memorandum signed last week, the situation in Lebanon, and economic issues.

Trump’s statements regarding the Strait of Hormuz had an immediate impact on international energy markets.

The price of Brent crude rose by 1.35%, reaching $81.66 per barrel, while U.S. crude rose 2.4%, to $77.66.

Investors are concerned that any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of global oil trade passes, could cause further turmoil in the markets.

Optimism from Vance
U.S. Vice President Jay D. Vance described the talks “historic” and stated that they could mark the beginning of a new relationship between Washington and Tehran.

At the same time, he spoke of “significant progress” in efforts to de-escalate tensions in Lebanon, expressing hope that the process would lead to a broader agreement on stability in the Middle East.