US and Iran agree 60-day roadmap after “encouraging progress” in Switzerland talks, mediators say
The first round of US–Iran negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement to end the conflict in the Middle East has concluded in Switzerland with what mediators Qatar and Pakistan described as “encouraging progress”, including an agreement on a 60-day roadmap toward a final deal.
In a joint statement, the mediators said both sides had agreed to continue talks through structured working groups, covering nuclear issues, sanctions and regional security, while trying to prevent further escalation in hotspots such as Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz.
The discussions took place in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, and were split into several sessions. According to officials familiar with the process, the agenda moved between Lebanon, maritime security and the nuclear file, with each topic handled separately rather than as part of a single package.
One of the key outcomes is the creation of a communication channel in the Strait of Hormuz, designed to reduce the risk of incidents involving commercial shipping. The waterway remains one of the world’s most sensitive energy routes, and even small disruptions tend to have immediate global market impact.
A separate coordination mechanism, described in the statement as a “de-confliction cell” is expected to involve the US, Iran and Lebanon, with Qatar and Pakistan acting as facilitators. The goal is to manage military activity in Lebanon, where clashes involving Israel and Hezbollah have continued despite earlier ceasefire declarations.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said the talks had brought “major progress” and pointed to Lebanon as the first area where implementation would be tested. Iranian officials left the venue for internal consultations but said technical discussions would continue this week.
US Vice-President JD Vance, who took part in the negotiations, said there had been movement on several fronts, but stressed that the hardest issues including Iran’s nuclear programme and sanctions relief: remain unresolved.
Despite the language of progress, the structure emerging from the talks still looks closer to a managed escalation framework than a full diplomatic breakthrough. Much of the focus is now shifting to whether the new coordination channels actually function under real pressure on the ground.
Technical teams are expected to continue work in Switzerland over the coming days, with both sides agreeing to keep the process alive rather than let it collapse at the first sign of disagreement.