US-Iran talks – Talks between the United States and Iran were called off Friday after intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Travel to Switzerland was also postponed by Iran and Vice President J.D. Vance, while Israeli strikes continued and Lebanon
By the time the question of a ceasefire was still echoing across southern Lebanon, the next diplomatic step had already been derailed.
Talks between the United States and Iran were called off Friday after intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, officials said. The move immediately raised questions about an earlier agreement meant to end the war in Iran.
Israel and the militant group later agreed to renew their ceasefire. That renewal was described by three officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. Word of the ceasefire came from two regional officials and a U.S. official, and it was mediated by Qatar, the U.S. and Iran.
Still, the fighting did not pause long enough for diplomacy to proceed as scheduled. An Iranian official said mediators attempted to implement a new ceasefire and that an agreement would be announced soon, but the official stopped short of confirming whether it was already in place.
The Israeli government did not immediately comment on the stoppage of U.S.-Iran talks. In a brief response, Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the military has not received different instructions from the government. She said Israeli forces were operating in a “forward defense zone” and will continue doing so.
Iranian officials did not travel as planned to Switzerland. They insisted that the fighting in Lebanon must stop before the talks can take place. according to three regional officials and a fourth person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive conversations. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance also postponed his trip.
The White House had earlier blamed logistical issues when Vance put off his trip.
At the same time, the violence on the ground continued to complicate every calculation. Israel’s military struck targets in southern and eastern Lebanon overnight, and Hezbollah reported intense fighting. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said at least 21 people were killed, while Israel said four soldiers died.
Israel’s military said four soldiers. including a lieutenant colonel. were killed in an attack on a tank in a village near the southern Lebanese city of Nabatiyeh. It added that an explosive drone attack wounded another five. Israel later launched multiple strikes against “Hezbollah infrastructure sites” in Nabatiyeh and other areas. accusing the militant group of “blatant ceasefire violations.”.
The military later said it also struck targets in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon, with Lebanese media saying the village of Douris was hit.
Netanyahu said in a statement that Israel “will not tolerate attacks on our soldiers or on our territory” and will “exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks.”
Hezbollah acknowledged targeting Israeli tanks and said its attacks were in response to what it called Israel’s own violation of the ceasefire. It said the attacks came after Israeli forces attempted to reach the northern side of Ali al-Taher hilltop. a strategic point that overlooks Nabatiyeh and that Israeli troops have been trying to capture.
In southern Lebanon, many residents said they were forced to flee. “The situation is lawless, we couldn’t stay,” Mustafa Zain said, describing being in a pickup truck with his six daughters.
The Lebanon fighting has also been a sticking point beyond the immediate ceasefire. Iran insists Israel must withdraw, while Netanyahu has said Israeli forces would remain in a “security zone” of southern Lebanon as long as “Israel’s security needs require it.”
The interruption to the Switzerland talks landed amid wider strains between Israel and the United States. Trump has been increasingly critical of his close ally Netanyahu, who is also facing growing criticism at home.
Diplomacy in Switzerland was already in flux before it fully stalled. One person familiar with the White House and Iranian positions said Iranian officials balked at starting the talks with Vance in Switzerland because of the Israeli action in Lebanon. The person said it was conveyed to Iran that Israel is ready to move on. and that it is up to Hezbollah to stop carrying out attacks.
Two other regional officials, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Pakistan was “stunned” by Iran’s decision not to go to the talks.
Even with negotiations paused, the interim deal’s immediate effects continued to ripple. Oil tankers began freely moving through the Strait of Hormuz this week after months of being largely unable to use the waterway. More than 12.5 million barrels of oil were shipped through the waterway on Wednesday night, according to the U.S.
Still, officials said normal flow is not expected to return overnight. Even if traffic fully resumes, it is expected to take weeks or months for oil and gas to move as before.
Under the interim deal, passage through the strait should be free for 60 days, as it was before the war. But the new Iranian authority charged with overseeing the waterway issued guidance Friday calling on ships to register with it, signaling Tehran likely intends to start charging.
The Persian Gulf Strait Authority said Friday that “during the 60-day period, tariffs for security, safety and environmental services, as well as related Iranian insurance, will not be collected from shipowners and will be borne by the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Behind the scenes, the stalled Lebanon ceasefire risk also hangs over the broader diplomatic timetable. The Switzerland discussions were expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear program. Iran maintains its nuclear activities are peaceful. while it has highly enriched uranium that could be used to build multiple atomic bombs if it chose to do so. according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Those talks are expected to be extremely difficult. The 2015 nuclear deal took more than 18 months to negotiate.
The interim deal gives negotiators 60 days to come up with a nuclear agreement, with the possibility of extending that deadline. It lays out incentives if Iran reaches an agreement, including the eventual lifting of all international sanctions and a $300 billion fund for postwar reconstruction.
Iran has already received some concessions. Following the signing of the interim deal, the U.S. lifted its blockade of Iran’s ports and is allowing it to sell its oil freely. The deal also calls for Iran’s assets to be unfrozen, though it is not clear how quickly.
None of that changes the pressure point at the center of this week’s diplomacy: the Iran deal’s most precarious part is the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group—where fighting in Lebanon can quickly undo the momentum needed for talks to move forward.
U.S. Iran talks called off Lebanon fighting Israel Hezbollah ceasefire renewal J.D. Vance postponed trip Switzerland talks Strait of Hormuz shipping interim Iran deal nuclear program negotiations