Talks in Switzerland between Iran, the United States , Qatar and Pakistan concluded on Tuesday with apparent agreement on a framework for advancing negotiations.
The preliminary text includes temporary relief on Iranian oil sanctions, the phased release of $12 billion in frozen assets, and the establishment of coordination mechanisms on maritime security through the Strait of Hormuz - as well as a general de-escalation in Lebanon .
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the technical discussions finalised mechanisms to implement a memorandum of understanding (MOU) reached at a prior high-level meeting, setting out a roadmap for further negotiations under the supervision of a joint high committee – effectively creating a direct communication centre between Tehran and Washington.
The body is expected to convene senior political figures including Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Vice President JD Vance, as well as the prime ministers of Qatar and Pakistan.
Four working groups will be formed to address sanctions relief , the nuclear issue and economic reconstruction – a key concern for Tehran after five weeks of US and Israeli strikes are estimated by Iranian officials to have caused more than $270 billion in damage.
Iranian officials also said the US had already issued a general licence via the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), allowing the sale of Iranian oil, petrochemicals and related commodities, while acknowledging that broader sanctions technically remain in place pending a final agreement.
The deal would also include the gradual unfreezing of $12 billion in Iranian assets, to be released in two tranches of $6 billion, beginning immediately.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf described the measures as being part of Tehran’s plans to lift the country of its economic pressures, while stressing continued distrust of Washington and the need for US compliance with key provisions of the agreement.
Alongside economic measures, the parties agreed to establish a direct communication channel between Tehran and Washington aimed at ensuring the safe passage of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Under the framework, it was agreed to set up a 30-day coordination partnership with the aim of managing potential maritime incidents, with Iranian officials asserting that overall responsibility for the waterway remains with Tehran.
Despite these steps, the talks appear to have exposed persistent tensions. Iranian officials said their delegation withdrew from direct engagement after US President Donald Trump issued threats against President Masoud Pezeshkian and the negotiating team on Sunday, which Tehran described as a violation of the agreement’s terms. Lebanon and de-escalation efforts The Switzerland talks also placed significant emphasis on Lebanon , where Israel has persisted with strikes and a ground invasion for months despite multiple attempts at ceasefires, killing more than 4,000 people since 2 March.
Iranian officials claimed the negotiations contributed to a rapid reduction in hostilities, pointing to what they described as a de facto halt in fighting within two days of diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran.
The MOU therefore attempts to include the Lebanon issue by creating a diplomatic unit involving Iran, the US, Qatar and Pakistan, intended to address incidents and support a path towards de-escalation.
The framework also references guarantees for Lebanon’s sovereignty, the return of the approximately 1 million displaced civilians, and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory – issues that Israel has so far not complied with.
The negotiation partners set a 60-day timeline to assess implementation, with further rounds of talks expected to determine whether the current understandings can be translated into a more durable agreement.