US-Iran talks to resume Friday in Switzerland, Araghchi says

A new round of talks between Iran and the United States will begin on Friday in Switzerland, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday.

Araghchi said Iran considered an end to the war in Lebanon an inseparable part of ending the wider war, adding that any Israeli attack on Lebanon or continued occupation of Lebanese territory would be viewed by Tehran as a violation of the MOU.

“The important point I want to stress here is that, in our view, the two sides of this memorandum of understanding are, on one side, the United States and Israel, and on the other, Iran and Hezbollah,” he said.

The Iranian foreign minister added that, “Ending the war in Lebanon is an inseparable part of ending the war as a whole, and ending the war also includes ending the occupation. Without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the land they occupied in this war, the war has not fully ended.”

Araghchi said talks with the US would follow a first-stage memorandum of understanding focused on ending the war, the Strait of Hormuz, the maritime blockade and reconstruction issues.

He said the next phase of negotiations would last 60 days and focus on Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief.