🔴 Live: US, Iran begin talks as Lebanon conflict threatens deal

US Vice President JD Vance said he hoped Washington and Tehran could reset their relationship at the start of what he called "historic" face-to-face talks in Switzerland on Sunday, adding the goal was to "turn over a new leaf to transform our relationship with the people of Iran". Iranian officials earlier warned that an agreement would not go ahead without an end to the Israel-Lebanon conflict. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates. Trump threatens fresh strikes on Iran if it does not stop its 'proxies in Lebanon' US President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened to strike Iran if it did not "immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble." as peace talks started in Switzerland. Trump was referring to Hezbollah, which joined the Middle East war with attacks on Israel. Clashes in recent days between the two have threatened to derail the US-Iran preliminary peace deal. If they don't, we'll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. These kinds of ceasefires are always 'a little bit messy', Vance says US and Iranian negotiators held a trilateral meeting with Qatari mediators as part of talks in Switzerland U.S. and Iranian negotiators have held a trilateral meeting with Qatari mediators as part of talks in Switzerland, officials with knowledge of the situation told Reuters on Sunday. Trump asked us to turn over 'a new leaf' in ties with Iranian people, Vance says U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Sunday said President Donald Trump has asked to turn over "a new leaf" to transform the U.S relationship with Iran and that the technical talks that are starting in Switzerland would allow for both sides to sit together and work to resolve issues. Vance hails 'historic meeting', at start of US-Iran talks in Switzerland Mediator Qatar confirms launch of US-Iran talks in Switzerland Mediating country Qatar on Sunday confirmed the start of talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland aimed at a permanent end to the Middle East war. In a statement Qatar's foreign ministry announced "the launch of the Lake Lucerne Summit and the first meeting of the high-level committee with the participation of representatives from the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the two mediating states, the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan". The gas-rich emirate added it hoped the meetings would "lead to a comprehensive and lasting agreement addressing all aspects covered by the Memorandum of Understanding", referring to an accord signed by the US and Iran earlier this week. Iran holds meeting with US, Qatar on Lebanon, frozen funds: state media Iranian state television said on Sunday that delegations from Iran, Qatar and the United States were holding a meeting in Switzerland to discuss a ceasefire in Lebanon and Iran's frozen assets. "A tripartite meeting involving Iran, the United States and Qatar on the subjects of a comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon and Iran's blocked assets is currently being held at the negotiation venue," state broadcaster IRIB said in a report. Iran's Tasnim news agency says Hormuz will not reopen until Lebanon ceasefire holds, oil waivers issued Iran's Tasnim news agency, citing a source close to the negotiating team, reported on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz would not be reopened as long as a ceasefire in Lebanon was not respected. The source said the waterway would also remain closed until waivers allowing the sale of Iranian oil were issued. There is no restriction on Israeli soldiers in Lebanon in face of threats, Israel's DM says Israel's defence minister said Sunday that Israeli forces had standing orders to act against any threat they encountered inside Lebanon, insisting that troops would remain in the so-called security zone established within Lebanese territory. "There has never been, and there is currently no restriction on IDF soldiers in Lebanon from acting to eliminate threats... As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have made clear: Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon," Israel Katz said in a statement, referring to an area extending roughly 10 kilometres (six miles) into Lebanese territory, where Israeli forces are deployed. Katz's remarks came shortly after Iran warned that it would not enter talks on a broader agreement with Washington unless the war in Lebanon comes to an end. Iran says can't enter final US deal talks without end to Lebanon war Iran warned on Sunday that it would not enter into talks on a broader agreement with the United States unless the war in Lebanon comes to an end. "Without the implementation of these provisions, especially paragraph 1 (termination of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon), entry into the negotiation phase for the final agreement is not possible," foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei wrote on X, referring to a provision in the initial deal between Tehran and Washington. Iran claims Lebanon 'main topic' at peace talks with US The United States and Iran are set to start a new round of talks in Switzerland on Sunday in a bid to finalise the Memorandum of Understanding signed last week. The teams have a timeframe of 60 days to resolve some of the more difficult issues such as what will happen to Iran's nuclear program and stockpiles of uranium. However the talks have already been shrouded in uncertainty as Israel and Hezbollah - not parties to the agreement - have continued to clash in Lebanon, with Tel Aviv refusing to withdraw from the territory. Story by Eliza Herbert and details by FRANCE 24 correspondent in Geneva, John Zarocostas. Iran says not seeking nuclear weapon or relinquishing enrichment rights Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated on Sunday that Tehran was willing to provide assurances that the country was not seeking a nuclear weapon, while insisting that Iran would not relinquish its right to enrich uranium. "What the United States demands is that Iran not build an atomic bomb. This is nothing new, and we can also state in writing that we have no intention of building a bomb," the president's website quoted him as saying. "However, we will not relinquish our right to enrichment, and the other side will have no choice but to accept this right," he added, before Iranian and US negotiators were set to meet for talks in Switzerland later on Sunday. US-Iran peace talks to begin, after Tehran closed Strait of Hormuz Ahead of negotiations in Switzerland, The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has said vessels should not approach the strait of Hormuz else their security would be at risk. Iran shut the shipping lane on Saturday, saying that Israeli strikes in Lebanon constituted a breach of the preliminary ceasefire, agreed between the US and Israel on Wednesday. Iranian and American delegations are set to meet in Switzerland on Sunday to work out their interim agreement to end the war. Story by Caroline Baum and Camille Corcoran. Iran says Lebanon is the 'main topic' in US talks Iran said on Sunday that the ongoing conflict in Lebanon between Israel and militant group Hezbollah will top the agenda in talks with the United States in Switzerland, as well as issues such as frozen Iranian funds and the sale of the country's oil. "The Zionist regime continues to violate its commitment in Lebanon, this issue will be the main topic of discussion in today's talks," foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in a video shared by IRNA state news agency. "The issue of making available Iran's frozen or restricted assets, as well as the discussion related to issuing the necessary licenses for the sale of Iranian oil," will also be on the agenda, he added. Strait of Hormuz remains closed, military source tells Iran's Fars news Iran's Fars news agency cited a military source as saying on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and the Revolutionary Guards Navy has not issued permission for any vessels to transit until further notice. The United States and Iran had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire for peace deal negotiations, but Tehran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Saturday declared the Strait of Hormuz shut in response to Israeli strikes in Lebanon, though the US military said commercial vessels were still operating. Pakistan delegation arrives in Switzerland for US-Iran talks: PM's office Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the head of the military, Asim Munir, arrived in Switzerland on Sunday for talks over the Middle East war, Sharif's office said. "Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir will participate in the High-Level Talks on the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding," the Prime Minister's Office wrote on X, referring to the US-Iran deal to end the war. Israel says it 'eliminated' two Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives tied to major funding network The Israeli military said on Sunday that they "eliminated" Hussein Qadra and Mohammed Farra, operatives in the military wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Qadra, who headed the network with Farra, acted under Hamas leadership and facilitated the transfer of more than half a billion shekels to Hamas, according to an Israeli military X post. Iran minister says oil industry to be testing ground for any final US-Iran deal Iran's oil industry will be a key testing ground for any final peace agreement with the US if Western parties remain committed to its spirit, Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad said on Sunday. The ministry's news outlet, Shana, quoted Paknejad as saying that in a post-agreement era, Iran's oil sector would offer the global economy major investment opportunities and has hundreds of investment projects, as well as technical and operational partnership contracts ready to be signed. US Vice President JD Vance arrives in Switzerland for peace talks with Iran US Vice President JD Vance landed Sunday in Switzerland to help formally launch negotiations with Iranian leaders over curbing Tehran’s nuclear program and building out the fragile interim deal to end the war in Iran. The framework was signed last week, and now top US and Iran negotiators are in a 60-day sprint to reach agreement on the technical details that hold massive implications for the world economy and global security. US President Donald Trump warned that the US could slap tolls on the Strait of Hormuz if negotiators failed to finalise a deal to end the war in Iran. Iran's negotiating team left for Switzerland for discussions on the implementation of the agreement signed between it and the United States to halt the Mideast war. Iran’s joint military command said that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed again, citing Israeli attacks in Lebanon and US “bad faith” and “its clear breach of its commitments” by failing to end the war.