Pakistan leads push for second phase of US-Iran peace process

As a follow-up to the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, technical-level talks between the United States and Iran will be held in Bürgenstock, Switzerland on Sunday (today).

Representatives of the United States and Iran, along with mediators from Pakistan and Qatar, will participate in the discussions.

Pakistan will continue to facilitate the process in its role as mediator, with a view to advancing the understandings reached under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif will personally represent Pakistan at the talks, the Foreign Office said in a statement.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and COAS & CDF Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir will participate in the talks the FO added.

Pakistani officials also said that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who had been holding official meetings in Tehran as part of the Iran-US negotiation process, was departing for Switzerland to join the talks.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi met with top Iranian officials including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and discussed the latest developments regarding the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, as both sides continue consultations following the agreement between Tehran and Washington.

The Saturday meeting is part of ongoing consultations between Pakistani officials and Iran following the agreement that ended the US-Israeli aggression against Iran.

Naqvi, who visited the holy shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad hours before the meeting, had also traveled to Tehran earlier this month to deliver a written message from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

Pakistan has served as the main mediator in Iran-US negotiations since a temporary ceasefire was established on April 8.

Over the past two months, Pakistani officials—including Army Chief General Asim Munir, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Interior Minister Naqvi—have made multiple trips to Tehran to maintain the ceasefire and pave the way for an agreement.

Their efforts culminated on June 18 with the signing of the Islamabad memorandum by the presidents of Iran and the US.

Following the signing, Iran and the US are set to begin 60 days of negotiations aimed at reaching a final settlement.

Meanwhile, a high-level Iranian team departed for Switzerland on Saturday for talks with the US, Iranian state media reported, while US Vice President JD Vance indicated he would set off soon for meetings that Pakistan said will begin on Sunday.

The Iranian delegation was being led by chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and included Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as well as senior security, central bank and oil officials, Iranian media said.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran would press in Switzerland for a fulfilment of commitments, citing past failures by the other side to honour agreements.

Vance, in an interview with Fox News, said he was confident the ceasefire agreed in Washington's 14-point deal with Tehran would hold, and that he had seen no evidence that the strait was closed.

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

He added that US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff had been in Switzerland "for a few hours, dealing with some of the technical elements of this negotiation".

"My understanding, talking to Jared and Steve this morning, is things are going well," he added.

In Geneva, diplomats from several countries were meeting Saturday at a Swiss retreat in a bid to maintain dialogue on the preliminary US-Iran deal to halt the Middle East war, said Bern.

The Swiss foreign ministry said diplomats were in discussions at the luxury Burgenstock resort near Lucerne in central Switzerland, without giving further details.

A diplomatic source told AFP the discussions under way on Saturday were preparatory in nature.

Senior-level talks at the hotel complex were initially planned for Friday, but were called off, with the process shrouded in layers of uncertainty, as Israel carried out deadly strikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday.

Swiss public broadcaster RTS said technical delegations from the United States and Iran, plus from mediators Qatar and Pakistan, were present at the discussions.

"Switzerland continues to provide a discreet and reliable setting to facilitate talks at Burgenstock on the implementation of the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran," the foreign ministry said in a brief statement.

"Diplomats from various countries currently present are continuing their efforts to maintain the dialogue.

"No further information can be provided regarding those present or the discussions," it added.

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said late Friday that he had met earlier in the day with Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the resort.

The pair "exchanged views on recent regional developments following the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran", Cassis said on X.

"As countries that place great importance on mediation, dialogue and good offices, Switzerland and Qatar share a strong commitment to supporting diplomatic solutions to international challenges.

"I thanked Qatar for its important mediation efforts and reaffirmed Switzerland's readiness to support initiatives aimed at de-escalation, stability and lasting peace."

(With input from Agencies)