Middle East crisis live: US talks with Iran set to continue despite Iranian walkout

Lead

US and Iranian negotiators have concluded a first round of face-to-face talks in Switzerland, with mediators Qatar and Pakistan announcing that both sides agreed to a roadmap toward a final deal within 60 days. The talks, held at the Buergenstock mountain resort, were marked by a tense start and an Iranian walkout, but technical discussions are set to continue for the rest of the week.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from multiple outlets converge on the core outcome: a joint statement from Qatar and Pakistan said Washington and Tehran had agreed to a roadmap toward a final deal within 60 days. The Guardian and The Hindu both reported the statement, with The Guardian adding that technical talks would continue for the rest of the week. Al Jazeera described the discussions as 'tense' but 'constructive', echoing the tone of other reports.

The talks began on Sunday, June 21, 2026, under the terms of a memorandum of understanding reached last week to extend a tenuous ceasefire from April for at least another 60 days, as reported by The Hindu. The discussions continued until the early hours of Monday, according to The Guardian.

The opening was jolted by remarks from US President Donald Trump, made before and during the talks, threatening further strikes on Iran if it moved to close the Strait of Hormuz. As reported by Africa News and The Guardian, Trump's comments offended the Iranian delegation, with Iranian state media saying talks had paused after the 'publication of an insulting message by the U.S. President.' The Guardian quoted Iran's Tasnim news agency saying the Iranian delegation refused to return to the room, though messages were still traded via Qatari and Pakistani mediators.

Despite the walkout, the talks concluded in the early hours of Monday, with the mediators hailing what Africa News described as 'encouraging progress.'

Key Claims

• Mediators Qatar and Pakistan said Washington and Tehran agreed to a roadmap toward a final deal within 60 days. This is reported by The Guardian, The Hindu, and Africa News.

• The parties agreed to a mechanism to end Israel's war in Lebanon and opened a communications line to help ensure safe passages for commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the joint statement reported by The Guardian and The Hindu.

• The US and Iran agreed to create a 'de-confliction cell' to address the fighting in Lebanon, as reported by Africa News.

• US President Donald Trump threatened to resume attacks on Iran if it did not rein in its allies, as reported by The Guardian and Al Jazeera. Fox News reported that Trump said he had told Iranian officials: 'You close it and you won’t have a country. You won’t even make it back to your fucking country.' This quote appears in reporting by The Guardian and The Hindu.

• Iran said it had again stopped maritime traffic through the Hormuz strait in response to continuing fighting in Lebanon, as reported by The Guardian and The Hindu.

• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country had secured waivers for oil and petrochemical exports, the release of some frozen assets and the launch of a reconstruction and development plan for Iran, as reported by The Hindu. The Guardian also mentioned that the US Treasury was preparing to issue a 60-day waiver lifting sanctions on oil, petrochemicals and derivatives.

• Iranian state media said talks had paused after Trump's comments, as reported by Africa News. This claim was not corroborated by other outlets in the materials provided.

• Vice President JD Vance opened the talks with Iranian officials on Sunday, as reported by The Hindu. Vance also played down the impact of the violence in Lebanon, saying progress had been made towards ending hostilities there, as noted in several reports.