Iran Celebrates 'Positive Developments' After Switzerland Talks with U.S.

The Foreign Ministry of Iran did not contradict reports on Monday claiming talks between the country and the United States in Switzerland were productive this weekend – going as far as to credit mediators Qatar and Pakistan with “major progress.”

Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding last week to formally conclude the active hostilities that began on February 28 with “Operation Epic Fury,” an American military engagement that resulted in the killing of over 50 Iranian politicians, including dictator Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Both sides presented the memorandum as a framework to establish more talks, not an end in itself, as it specified the conclusion of kinetic action but proposed a 60-day time period for American and Iranian officials to resolve their ongoing disagreements. The administration of President Donald Trump has made clear repeatedly that it seeks to ensure that the Iranian regime, the world’s foremost state sponsor of terrorism, will never possess a nuclear weapon by shutting down its illicit uranium enrichment activities.

Iranian leaders, in turn, are demanding an end to all sanctions on its economy and for Israel to halt its invasion of Lebanon, intended to contain the Iranian proxy terrorist organization Hezbollah.

As part of the memorandum of understanding signing, the two sides, alongside mediating countries, had agreed to hold discussion in Switzerland this weekend. Despite early reports that the talks would be postponed indefinitely – in response to the government of Israel escalating airstrikes against targets in Lebanon, rather than abiding by the deal’s call for ending attacks – they ultimately did take place in Burgenstock. The government of Pakistan expressed public optimism about the progress made during the event, describing the atmosphere as “positive and constructive.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a message on social media on Monday in which he praised Pakistan and Qatar for mediating and also gave the impression that the negotiations ended positively. He also published the statement from the Pakistani government announcing a successful round of talks.

“Tireless Pakistani and Qatari mediation has delivered major progress to end Lebanon War,” Araghchi wrote in a message published on the social media site Twitter. “Oil and petrochem exports are waived, blockade lifted, some frozen assets released, and major reconstruction & development plan launched for Iran. 1st real test: Lebanon deconfliction cell.”

Top Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei spoke to multiple Iranian state media outlets on Monday and, while less effusive than the commentary from Pakistan, indicated that the talks resulted in progress rather than stagnation.

The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that Baqaei stated the “exchange of messages later in the day in Switzerland resulted in some positive developments.” The spokesman described the objective of the talks to be the enforcement of the memorandum of understanding.

“Basically, the philosophy of our presence in Switzerland was to demand the fulfillment of the other party’s obligations,” he was quoted as saying. “I have already emphasized that the Iranian delegation’s view is that we must somehow get the other party to comply with its obligations.”

Baqaei stated that the talks on Sunday took nearly 18 hours total and that they occurred not without some obstacles, namely alleged “threatening and insulting remarks made by the U.S. president.” The spokesman did not specify what comments the Iranian regime objected to. President Trump did publish two comments on Sunday on his website, Truth Social, regarding Iran, one of them affirming that the U.S. military would attack Iran once more if the regime did not stop the terrorist attacks against Israel being committed by Hezbollah.

“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” Trump wrote.

In another post, Trump asserted that, as per the memorandum of understanding, Iran could not impose tolls on ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. He added, “there will be NO TOLLS after the 60 day period has expired, unless they are imposed by and for the United States of America, should the deal not be completed.”

The president claimed that payments to America from those tolls would be for “services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East for purposes of both past, present, and future reimbursement of costs.”

Prior to “Operation Epic Fury,” ships passed freely through the Strait of Hormuz without paying any tolls or other fees. Iranians officials began discussing the imposition of a toll as the war continued and the issue made its way to the memorandum of understanding signed last week. According to the text of that agreement, Iran agreed not to impose any fees on incoming ships for a period of 60 days.

“Upon the signing of this MoU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels, with no charge for 60 days only,” the memorandum reads, “The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman, to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz, in discussions with other Persian Gulf Littoral States, in line with applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz.”

In his comments on Monday, Baqaei, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, emphasized that the memorandum of understanding is a roadmap to a more permanent agreement, rather than a final agreement in itself.

“We stressed that the time has not yet come to begin negotiations on a final agreement,” he told reporters. “Under the memorandum of understanding, talks on a final agreement are to begin only after specific provisions of the memorandum have been implemented.”

IRNA reported on Monday that the president of the country, Masoud Pezeshkian, would travel to Islamabad, Pakistan, on Tuesday to “hold consultations,” some of them presumably about the U.S. negotiations. Pezeshkian is subordinate to the current “supreme leader,” Mojtaba Khamenei, but the younger Khamenei has not appeared in public or made any live video or audio statements since succeeding his father, leaving his health status and how much power he holds unclear.

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