A US diplomat involved in the Switzerland negotiations told Axios that talks with Iran and the mediators are expected to continue late into the night, with discussions on friction-prevention mechanisms in Lebanon and all components of the nuclear deal on the agenda.
A US diplomat involved in the Switzerland talks told Axios on Sunday evening that the negotiations with Iran and the mediating delegations are expected to run through the night, with sessions in various formats continuing almost non-stop. The source said one of the day's central topics was 'mechanisms for preventing friction in Lebanon and enforcing the ceasefire,' and that the talks also covered 'all components of the nuclear agreement' and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. This is the first on-record attribution to a US official for late-running sessions; a bulletin at 23:16 Jerusalem earlier reported the talks were expected to continue — but only now is there a named channel to a source inside the delegation.
The development follows a day of back-to-back diplomacy in Burgenstock, Switzerland. As The Zioneer reported at 07:33 Jerusalem, Iran had linked Hormuz reopening to a Lebanon withdrawal as a precondition; by 10:43, Washington had put IAEA inspections at Iranian nuclear sites on the table. Talks formally opened at 14:22 with Qatar and Pakistan mediating, and at 14:46 the opening session focused on a Lebanon ceasefire. A bulletin at 17:04 confirmed the arrival of US and Iranian delegations, with Vice President Vance expected to meet directly with Iranian Speaker Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Araghchi. By 17:58, a short recess was reported (Amichai Stein, i24NEWS), followed by a bulletin at 23:16 saying negotiations were continuing late into the night. Across the thread, sourcing evolved from general reports (07:33, 10:43) to a named reporter's observation (17:58) and now to a direct US diplomat quote via Axios (current draft).
The talks are set against a wider diplomatic backdrop: as The Zioneer reported on Thursday (Jun 18), Iran had suspended its delegation's trip to Switzerland, demanding a halt to Israeli strikes in Lebanon. By Saturday (Jun 20), Iran conditioned nuclear talks on a Lebanon ceasefire, and Foreign Minister Araghchi was reconsidering the trip. Sunday's full-day meeting thus represents a reversal from the week's earlier stalling.
All information in this update rests on a single unnamed US diplomat cited by Axios. No deal, signed document, or joint statement has been announced. Confidence remains at Developing.
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