Iran negotiators head to Switzerland for US talks, Vance expected to join

The heads of Iran's three branches of power - the government, the parliament and the judiciary - discussed upcoming negotiations and post-war recovery efforts in a meeting hosted by President Masoud Pezeshkian, his office said.

The meeting was attended by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is also Iran's chief negotiator in US talks, and Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei.

According to the statement, the three officials reviewed the country’s latest political, economic, social and international developments, including conditions following the recent war.

They also discussed measures to strengthen national resilience, improve coordination among state institutions, speed up compensation for war-related damage and rebuild capacities affected during the conflict.

The statement did not name the United States, but said the “process of upcoming negotiations,” the need for coordination among responsible bodies and strategies to protect national interests within the framework of the country’s broader policies were among the key issues discussed.

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US Central Command said commercial ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz increased on June 20, with US forces continuing to operate in the area in support of freedom of navigation.

CENTCOM said safe passage through the international waterway remained intact, with 55 merchant ships transiting the strait during the day and carrying large amounts of cargo and more than 17 million barrels of oil to global markets.

The statement was released after Iran announced the closure of the strategic waterway.

CENTCOM also cited a Joint Maritime Information Center advisory affirming safe passage for vessels along a designated route “free of arbitrary requirement claims or impediments.”

“U.S. forces remain present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to, obeyed, and in full force and effect,” the statement said.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced on Saturday that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz to all maritime traffic, citing what it described as US violations of ceasefire commitments and Israeli attacks in Lebanon.

Fars News Agency quoted a military source in the IRGC Navy as saying the strategic waterway had been “completely closed” as of Saturday morning.

In a subsequent statement, the IRGC Navy said the move was a response to “US breaches of commitments in implementing the ceasefire” and “Israeli attacks in Lebanon.”

The force warned all vessels against approaching the Strait of Hormuz, saying their security could be endangered if they ignored the warning.

US Vice President JD Vance said on Saturday he expected to travel to Switzerland within days for talks with Iran and that the negotiations could take place as soon as Sunday.

Vance, speaking to Fox News, said US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were already on the ground for the talks. He said discussions with Iran were going well and that the United States would give negotiations a chance.

Vance said he was confident the ceasefire could hold. He also said there was no evidence Iran was closing the Strait of Hormuz, after Iranian military authorities said they would close it to vessel traffic.

"I expect that I will leave sometime in the next couple of days, but you know it's always a delicate coordination dance," Vance said.

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said on Saturday it would close the Strait of Hormuz to vessel traffic, citing what it called US failure to implement the first clause of an agreement to end the war.

It also cited what it called Israel's continued breaches of a ceasefire in southern Lebanon and failure to withdraw from southern Lebanese territory.

The headquarters said the closure was the "first step" in Iran's response to what it called enemy breaches of commitments. It said further steps would follow if attacks continued.