An American diplomat summarizes the first day of talks in Switzerland

An American diplomat involved in the negotiations in Switzerland said last night (Sunday) that he expects the talks with Iran and with the mediators Pakistan and Qatar to continue into the night. The American diplomat said that the talks with the Iranians began this morning and continued almost non-stop, in various capacities. According to him, one of the main topics discussed during the day’s talks was “mechanisms for preventing friction in Lebanon and enforcing the ceasefire”.

The American diplomat added that the United States, Iran and the mediators also discussed the Strait of Hormuz and the latest Iranian statements about its alleged closure. “We have made it clear that we want to ensure that it remains fully open. We have made good progress on this issue,” the diplomat said. According to him, today’s talks also dealt with “all the elements of the nuclear agreement”.

He added that the parties held useful discussions regarding the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and how to “make sure that everyone acts according to the same understanding.” The parties also discussed a plan for continuing the talks both at the senior political level and between the technical teams.

“It seems that all four parties are satisfied with the way the talks went today. The mediators are helping both sides overcome disputes and difficulties. We feel that this initial round of talks lays the foundations for building trust later on,” said the American diplomat.

The talks at the senior political level are expected to end tomorrow, after which the discussions will continue between the technical teams, who will probably remain in Switzerland, the American diplomat said.