Talks between the US and Iran to end the conflict in the Middle East have begun in Oberbuerg, Switzerland, in the Burgenstock resort on Lake Lucerne.
And they were already suspended after Trump's words, which in an interview with Fox from the US threatened Iran, provoking the fury of the delegation . Initially, Iranian media reported that the Iranian negotiators had left the headquarters, but then Axios, citing a diplomat, denied that they had left. However, they left the table and the talks were suspended anyway. Informal discussions then began, and it was decided to resume high-level political negotiations overnight. The delegations are expected to leave Oberburg tomorrow, Monday, but negotiations between the two countries' technical teams, which will likely remain in Switzerland, will continue.
US Vice President J.D. Vance exuded optimism: "Never before have the Iranian and US leaderships met at this high level. We have made great progress in the last few hours, and I expect we will make even more progress in the coming hours ." Vance also said that Trump had asked him to "turn a new leaf" and "transform our relationship with the Iranian people," stressing that the United States "stands ready to fundamentally transform our relationship" with Iran, "if its leadership is willing to relinquish its role as a factor of regional instability and abandon its nuclear ambitions."
The meeting, however, began with a formal snub . The US delegation and the organizers had planned a handshake and a group photo between the US and Iranian delegations at the beginning of the meeting. But the head of Tehran's negotiating team and members of the delegation itself objected , the Iranian news agency Tasnim reports, adding that "due to Iranian opposition and its absence from the ceremony, the livestream and group photo were held without the Iranian delegation, which then entered the meeting venue."
Meanwhile, from the United States, Donald Trump has used his usual strategy: threats, raising the stakes, to force his rival to relent. This strategy hasn't worked so far in Iran.
"I spoke to the Iranians last night," the tycoon told Fox, "warning them that if they close the Strait of Hormuz, they will no longer have a country." "You won't even be able to go back to your fucking country," he said, relaying his message to the leadership in Tehran.
"If we don't reach an agreement," he added, "we will collect the tolls in Hormuz. We could take control of the Strait if necessary, become the 'Guardian Angels' and take 20% of the oil ."
Tehran then clarified that Hormuz is currently closed and will not be reopened until the ceasefire in Lebanon is respected . Furthermore, the waterway will remain closed until the waivers that would allow the sale of Iranian oil are granted.
Another warning from Trump on Lebanon: "Iran must immediately stop its well-paid proxies in Lebanon from causing trouble. Otherwise, we will hit Iran very hard again. Like last week, but even harder."
Finally, the emphasis: at the end of the 60-day ceasefire "I can do whatever I want, so the Iranian president must continue otherwise we will take his country" .
(Unioneonline/L)
