Geneva: High-level talks between the United States and Iran aimed at easing tensions in West Asia hit a roadblock on their opening day after disagreements over the Lebanon ceasefire led to a temporary walkout by the Iranian delegation.
The talks, held in Switzerland, brought together senior officials from both countries in a bid to address a range of contentious issues, including regional security, economic sanctions and Iran’s oil exports.
The US delegation was led by Vice-President J.D. Vance, while Iran was represented by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
According to officials familiar with the discussions, the two sides explored proposals related to easing economic sanctions on Iran, lifting restrictions on oil exports and unfreezing Iranian assets held abroad. However, negotiations ran into difficulty after Tehran insisted that meaningful progress on other issues would depend on the full implementation of a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Tensions escalated further after US President Donald Trump warned that Iran-backed groups operating in Lebanon could face strong action if hostilities continued. Iranian officials reportedly viewed the remarks as a threat and briefly walked out of the meeting in protest.
Speaking later, Ghalibaf said Iran would not be influenced by what he described as pressure tactics and asserted that the country’s armed forces were prepared to respond to any challenge.
Despite the disruption, both sides indicated that diplomatic channels remain open and that discussions could resume in the coming days. Officials said the success of future negotiations would largely depend on developments surrounding the Lebanon conflict, regional security concerns and the future of sanctions imposed on Iran.
The talks are being closely watched by the international community amid growing concerns over stability in the Middle East and the potential impact of regional tensions on global energy markets.
