By Elis Gjevori, Urooba Jamal and Shola Lawal
US Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Switzerland for high-level talks with Iran mediated by Pakistan and Qatar after days of delay.
Iran’s delegation, led by Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, says its main goal is to ensure all parties fully implement the interim deal to end the war.
Iran says Lebanon conflict ‘main topic’ in US talks
Iran says 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 Baghaei 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.
Lebanese government appears ‘most vulnerable of all’
Geopolitical analyst Joe Macaron says Israel is currently tactically hampered in Lebanon despite its military’s escalating attacks on the south.
The professor at the University of Bath told Al Jazeera that Israel would rather expand its offensive into Beirut and other parts of southern Lebanon but is forced to restrict attacks to the districts of Nabatieh and Tyre.
As for Hezbollah, Macaron said the group is reacting based on what the Israelis do. If the Israelis are attacking, then Hezbollah attacks in return.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese government appears the most vulnerable of all, Macaron said, because it lacks the leverage to sway the Switzerland talks in its favour without help from Iran.
“I know there’s talk in Lebanon about sovereignty, but we have to look at the facts,” Macaron said, citing the Lebanese government’s failed attempts to engage Washington in direct, bilateral talks and have the US pressure Israel into ending its attacks.
“As long as Hezbollah is part of the Iranian security structure, Lebanon is going to continue to be hit. If the Lebanese government cannot control its border, control the security arrangement around the border or cannot make sure that every agreement it signs with Israel it can implement, it cannot have the leverage,” he added.
Netanyahu grapples with falling approval as Israeli public sees truce as defeat
By Nour Odeh
Reporting from Ramallah, occupied West Bank
Israel wants to delink the Iran and Lebanon tracks even though, realistically speaking, and even for the Israeli public, it is quite obvious that the two are interlinked.
The Israeli army had to decrease its military activity and air strikes because the anger in Washington was very clear and was very vocal as well.
Netanyahu is in a very tough position at the moment. He sees the numbers of his Likud party going down, sliding down in the polls and the numbers of his rivals in the right wing climbing.
There are reports also from Washington that Trump himself and members of his administration have now opened backchannels with opposition figures that could possibly topple him in upcoming elections.
Domestically, the ceasefire in Lebanon is very unpopular because it is seen as an admission of defeat by Israel. The Israeli prime minister had promised them that Hezbollah would be crushed, and the only thing that he is delivering is the systematic destruction of Shia villages in the south.
Guard navy reportedly says no Hormuz passage permits issued
Citing an unnamed “military sources”, the semi-official Fars news agency reports the Strait of Hormuz “remains closed and IRGC Navy will not issue passage permits until further notice”.
The report comes as US and Iranian negotiating teams prepare to meet in Switzerland for the first face-to-face talks since the signing of the memorandum of understanding last week.
The strait has emerged as a key focus with Iran’s military command saying on Saturday it’s closed again because of the US’s “clear breach of its commitments” by failing to end Israel’s war on Lebanon.
US, Iran delegations gather in Burgenstock
By Osama Bin Javaid
Reporting from Burgenstock, Switzerland
There is a gap that needs to be bridged here in Burgenstock. And that is why you’re seeing the highest level of participation, which includes Vice President JD Vance, who arrived this morning.
I’ve just spoken to other sources who told me that a team from Iran has already been here since last night, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
In terms of mediators, they’ve been greeted by the Qatari prime minister and foreign minister, who have been instrumental in bridging those gaps to try and bring them together, at least in the same room.
And I’ve spoken to the convoy that is heading from Zurich to Burgenstock, where the Pakistani prime minister is on his way to the venue as well. He’s accompanied by the chief of defence forces, Asim Munir, who’s also been instrumental in trying to get us to where we are.
The biggest issue remains the implementation of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), this landmark agreement that they’d reached to end the war. The first point of that MoU: Territorial integrity and respect for sovereignty, including Lebanon, is where it is being tested.
The US immediately wants to go into the nuclear issue. The Iranians want an end to the fighting in Lebanon.
Iran says its delegation will meet US team Sunday afternoon
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed the US and Iranian delegations will meet in Switzerland in the afternoon along with the Pakistani and Qatari mediation teams.
Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesman for the ministry, told the IRNA news agency: “We are going to have a one-day meeting. In the morning, we will have bilateral meetings with Pakistani and Qatari delegations as mediators in this process.
“In the afternoon, quadrilateral meetings will be held between delegations from the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States with the presence of representatives from Qatar and Pakistan.”
IRNA also reported Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis “in the first official program of the Iranian delegation in Switzerland”.
Hormuz closure hurts China most, not the US
Iran must be cautious over its renewed threat to again close the Strait of Hormuz as the vital waterway serves Tehran’s allies more than its enemies, an analyst says.
“The Strait of Hormuz foremost is certainly a very important tool in the strategy of Iran. There is absolutely no doubt about it. But Iran needs to be careful not to overplay this card,” said Wolfgang Pusztai, a security analyst and former defence attache for the Austrian government.
“One needs to remember that most of the ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz are not heading to the United States or to Europe. They’re heading to India, to China and to Pakistan.
“So the more the traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is blocked, the more it hurts the economy of China,” he told Al Jazeera.
Iran sending message to regional proxies: It will not abandon allies
By Resul Serdar Atas
Reporting from Tehran, Iran
Several [memorandum of understanding – MoU] clauses matter for Iran, like unfreezing Iranian assets, lifting the sanctions, and lifting the US blockade over the Strait of Hormuz. But these will take time.
However, the first clause of the MoU clearly says the immediate and permanent cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, is the key issue for the Iranians.
Just before taking off, the chief Iranian negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said “our meeting in Switzerland is not to start the technical talks, but rather we are going there to make sure that the Americans are going to initiate implementation of the memorandum of understanding. Once that is initiated, then we can continue with the technical talks.”
Why does Lebanon matter so much to Iran Overall, it’s about Iran’s geopolitical stance. If Iran wants to remain a regional power, Tehran has to keep the “axis of resistance” alive.
Iran has definitely invested in Hezbollah through the decades. So it is about Iran’s regional influence.
By including the regional allies in the MoU, Iran is sending a message to its allies and proxies in the region that it will not abandon them.
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US-Iran delegations and mediators set to meet Sunday morning
The US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance; the Iranian delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf; and mediation teams from Pakistan and Qatar are now all in Burgenstock, Switzerland.
“Talks between the parties are set to begin during the course of the morning,” the Swiss Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Officials warn the latest escalation could wipe up to 10 percent off the economy and cause as much as $20bn in damage.
6 Israeli soldiers killed, 20 wounded in Lebanon over past 3 days
Israeli Army Radio reports six Israeli soldiers have been killed in Hezbollah attacks in southern Lebanon since Thursday.
Israel’s public broadcaster said the deaths included a senior officer, and more than 20 soldiers have been wounded over the past three days.
Haaretz newspaper reported 36 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Lebanon since the current round of fighting began on March 2.
Timeline of key events in Lebanon
By Al Jazeera Staff
On March 2, Hezbollah launches attacks on Israel in retaliation for Israel’s near-daily attacks on Lebanon and the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Israel launches a ground invasion, and on March 26, Defence Minister Israel Katz says Israel will occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, an area amounting to nearly a tenth of the country.
On April 8, after the US and Iran announce a ceasefire, Israeli forces strike more than 100 sites in Lebanon in 10 minutes, killing more than 350 people.
Israel and Lebanon agree to a ceasefire on April 16, but fighting continues in southern Lebanon, with the Israeli military and Hezbollah accusing each other of violations.
Israeli forces bomb Beirut’s southern suburbs on June 7, prompting Iran to fire missiles towards Israel.
The US and Iran’s presidents sign an interim deal on June 19, declaring an end to war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, but fighting continues in southern Lebanon.
Israel seeks to normalise Gaza-style occupation in Lebanon
By Nour Odeh
Reporting from Ramallah, occupied West Bank
Israel defines a ceasefire in Iran as a situation where its troops are not being fired upon but a situation where it continues to occupy land. That is true in Gaza. It’s true in Lebanon and even in Syria, where Israel has occupied a large swath of land in southern Syria after the fall of the [Bashar al-]Assad regime.
Now this doctrine of so-called security zones is all tied together. It started really in Gaza, and one can see a lot of parallels.
But a lot of things that Israel had tried to normalise in Gaza, they want to entrench and make standard in Lebanon: the demolition, systematic demolition of villages, the takeover of land, the fact that it wants areas that are completely empty not just of buildings, but also of people, specifically Shia villages that it views as equal and tantamount to Hezbollah positions.
And that is the doctrine that Israel is trying to protect because the fear in Israeli decision-making circles, according to reports, is that if Israel gives in on this area occupied in Lebanon, it will have to do the same in Syria. And that is something it’s not ready ideologically to do. The right wing, which is the base of this government, would not accept it.
What does the US-Iran MoU entail
Iran and the US declared “the immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” and committed not to initiate war or military operations against each other.
Upon signing, the US “will begin lifting its naval blockade” and fully end the embargo, and Iran will make arrangements “for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only”.
Upon signing and until the termination of sanctions, the US “will issue waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives”.
The US “undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen uncertain funds and assets” of Iran and upon implementation of the MoU, the two sides “will mutually agree on the procedures related to the release of these funds during negotiations”.
Iran closed Strait of Hormuz ‘to remind US they have leverage’
By Resul Serdar Atas
Reporting from Tehran, Iran
The Iranian army yesterday released a statement saying that in [response to] the violation of the ceasefire agreement, or the first article of the memorandum of understanding by Israel, they are closing the Strait of Hormuz.
What we understand is that the Iranians are closing the Iranian waters but, on the other hand, what we see is that still the ships are passing [through] the territorial waters of Oman.
So it’s partially closed indeed, and since then, we haven’t seen any statement that is stating otherwise.
For the Iranians here, of course, this is a strategy as well.
Israel is violating Article 1 of the MoU, and the Iranians are extremely frustrated with that. But also, as the Iranian negotiating team has just arrived in Switzerland, they are reminding the Americans that they have leverage and their biggest leverage is the Strait of Hormuz.
So on the field they are once again showing the Americans that if they are not committed to the implementation of the MoU or, if the talks fail, the cost is going to be huge and Iran has the capability of closing [the strait] whenever it wants.
Ahmed was killed with two other people in a strike on a house in Gaza’s Bureij refugee camp.
Pakistan’s Sharif lands in Zurich to attend US-Iran negotiations
Pakistan’s prime minister has arrived in Zurich to participate in the US-Iran talks later today.
Sharif joins Field Marshal Asim Munir. The Pakistani leader’s office posted a video on X of him exiting the plane after arriving in the Swiss city.
People in Lebanon hopeful of a breakthrough from US-Iran talks
By Rob McBride
Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon
Obviously, because of what Lebanon has been through, [people here] will look for any development to see if it will lead to some kind of significant ceasefire here.
So there is hope that maybe there will be some kind of breakthrough, especially as JD Vance, with his recent comments, which echoed comments made by Donald Trump, seems to have put some distance between the US and Israeli positions [and, people hope] that might result in more pressure on the Israelis.
But then some confusion has also been created by JD Vance. Just as he was leaving for these talks, he said things are getting better in Lebanon. That’s led to a lot of head scratching here, [with people] wondering what he meant by that. All things are relative, so perhaps compared with the situation a few weeks ago, when nowhere in Lebanon seemed to be safe, and when parts of Beirut itself were being bombed, that might be the case.
But compared with last week, when we had this significant lull in fighting as this memorandum of understanding was introduced, things have certainly escalated.
Trump faces Israeli backlash over Iran deal
By Simon Speakman Cordall
The growing rift between the US and Israel hit new heights this week, with articles in major Israeli publications accusing President Donald Trump of abandoning Israel to its greatest enemy following his interim deal with Iran.
Analysts described a sense of betrayal as public and political outrage over the terms of the agreement, which details the broad terms for ending the joint US-Israel war on Iran, dominated headlines.
In one particularly blistering attack, an op-ed titled You Could Have Been the Greatest President of All, but You Failed, accused Trump of having signed a “surrender agreement with a murderous and cruel terror regime”.
Published in one of the country’s leading newspapers, Israel Hayom, which is owned by influential Trump mega-donor Miriam Adelson, the piece pulled few punches.
Styled as a letter to Trump, it went further than even some of Israel’s more hardline politicians in voicing criticism of the pact, accusing the US president of having turned the hourglass over to a new war and of having brought about the “humiliation” of his country.
Israel claims killing Hamas and PIJ fighters in Gaza
The Israeli military is claiming it killed two fighters from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Hussein Qadra and Mohammed Farra.
The military claimed the two were involved in transferring funds into Gaza. In a statement from today, it said the pair were killed on June 17.
Hamas and PIJ have yet to confirm the report.
The US-Iran memorandum of understanding does not rule out future tolls in the strait after an initial 60-day period.
Published On 20 Jun 202620 Jun 2026
Planned negotiations come amid tensions over Israeli attacks in Lebanon and Iran’s announced closure of Hormuz again.
Published On 20 Jun 202620 Jun 2026
Iran shuts Strait of Hormuz as Israel tests MOU with Lebanon strikes.
Published On 20 Jun 202620 Jun 2026
Al Jazeera condemned Israel’s ‘deliberate’ targeting of Wishah, the network’s 12th media worker killed during Gaza war.
Published On 20 Jun 202620 Jun 2026
Mr.BadGuy
Publisher
Mr.BadGuy
Publisher
These soldiers are from a country whose president is a Jew Zelensky. Orthodox churches are also being destroyed in this country. Synagogues are not touched. Surprisingly, it turns out that Jews get along well with the Bandera Nazis.