Di planned direct talks between US and Iran for Switzerland don suffer postponement after Vice-President JD Vance delay im trip to di mountain resort for Obbürgen. Di White House announce late on Thursday say Vance no go travel, and dem add say di logistics of dis negotiation never simple or predictable.
Dis one come just one day after US drop di naval blockade of Iran, after di two countries sign deal wey aim to end di conflict. Di deal also talk say fighting must end for Lebanon, but di country health ministry say Israeli strikes don kill at least 18 people for di south overnight. Israel military say dem target di Iran-backed group Hezbollah, and say four of dia own soldiers don die.
Hours before di White House issue statement, Hezbollah-linked Lebanese media report say di talks don suspend because of ongoing Israeli air strikes. Negotiators suppose meet for wetin US officials call technical discussions on di next steps of di agreement sign earlier dis week. But Washington say plans for di talks no don finalise. Dem add say di US look forward to begin technical talks as soon as possible.
Switzerland foreign ministry later confirm say di talks for Burgenstock mountaintop resort don postpone, although dem say preparations dey continue. Swiss military and police officials don patrol di luxury hotel wey set high on mountain overlooking Lake Lucerne, and dem set up media centre for journalists. Di negotiations suppose focus on implementing di agreement, wey dem know as Memorandum of Understanding, and begin discussions on longer-term issues, including Iran nuclear programme.
Centred around 14 points, di deal include reopening Strait of Hormuz, requirement say Iran no go ever get nuclear weapon, $300bn plan for Iran reconstruction, and di US terminating all types of sanctions on Iran. E also bind both sides to achieve final deal for maximum 60 days, wey fit extend with mutual consent.
Iran Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei say im approve di deal with US despite get different view, claiming Trump out of desperation use all kinds of leverage to bring am about. Im say while there go be in-person negotiations for future between Tehran and Washington, dis no go mean acceptance of enemy position.
President Trump say im expect ceasefire to take effect on all fronts, including between Israel and Hezbollah for Lebanon, something wey also set out for di text of di agreement. But both Israel and Hezbollah don carry out strikes against each other since di deal announce. Lebanon state news agency describe di overnight bombardment as one of di most intense of di war, with health ministry reporting at least 18 killed, 33 injured, and several buildings hit.
Israel Defense Forces say dem target infrastructure and individuals linked to Hezbollah. Responding to di deaths of di four IDF soldiers on Friday, Israel far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir say all of Lebanon must burn. With all due respect to di Americans, Israel must make am clear to di whole world say di blood of our sons and di security of our citizens no be up for bargaining, im write for X.
Vance don publicly criticise di attitude of some members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cabinet towards di deal on Thursday, including Ben-Gvir, telling reporters say Israel should wake up and smell di reality. Lebanon bin drawn into di war between Israel, US, and Iran shortly after e begin, with Hezbollah launching rockets into Israel for retaliation for strike wey kill Iran supreme leader.
Israel respond by launching bombing campaign across Lebanon and invading significant part of di country south, with aim of driving back Hezbollah fighters from im northern border. Since then, Lebanese health authorities say more than 3,900 people don die for Israeli attacks, among dem women and children. E no clear whether or how many Hezbollah fighters dey among dem. Israeli authorities say at least 30 soldiers and four civilians don die on both sides of di border for di same period.
Di cancellation of di talks come so abruptly say Vance staff and small pack of journalists don gather at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington for anticipation of di trip. Dozens of White House officials, advance staffers, and media already dey Switzerland to prepare for Vance arrival. Iran semi-official Tasnim news agency say Iranian negotiators need to see signs of implementation of di interim agreement from US before next rounds of peace talks fit begin, and say no confirmation say dia delegation go travel to Geneva.
Di cancellation come after report from Al Mayadeen, Arabic-language network wey politically allied with Hezbollah, say Tehran dey delay sending dia delegation to Switzerland because of Israel ongoing military campaign for Lebanon. Israel, wey no include for di peace talks and don distance itself from di US-Iran agreement, don continue im fighting for Lebanon and launch fresh airstrikes early on Friday, accusing Hezbollah of violating ceasefire, accusation wey di armed group don throw back at Israel.
Hezbollah say on Friday say im fighters destroy three Israeli tanks for di country south and say clashes dey ongoing. Israel no don confirm say im tanks bin hit. Fighting begin for Lebanon on 2 March when Hezbollah launch rockets at Israel for wetin dem say na revenge for di killing of Iran supreme leader by US and Israel. Di subsequent Israeli invasion of south Lebanon and bombing campaign don leave more than 3,900 people dead for Lebanon. Hezbollah don kill at least 32 Israeli soldiers for Lebanon and three Israeli civilians.
On Thursday, Israel announce wetin dem call im security zone for south Lebanon, wey comprise hundreds of square miles of Lebanese territory. Lebanese officials don demand complete withdrawal of Israeli forces, something Iran say required by di MoU. Di MoU call for permanent termination of di war for Lebanon and for di country territorial integrity and sovereignty to ensure. Donald Trump say im expect complete ceasefire on all fronts. Israel so far insist say im no go pull out im troops from south Lebanon, leading to open criticism from Trump and Vance.
On Thursday, Vance say Israel need to respect di peace process. Wetin di president don grow frustrated with, at times, na say we seem to be right on di cusp of major breakthrough for di agreement and then all of a sudden major explosion go off for civilian population centre for Beirut, and plenty people wey get nothing to do with Hezbollah lose dia lives, Vance tell reporters, adding say such actions no be acceptable.
On Friday, Iran chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warn against any breach of di agreement, saying: In case of misconduct, breach of treaty and excess of di other side, we get no doubt say decisive response go give to di enemy. Di diplomatic back-and-forth over di planned talks add to di uncertainty over whether lasting truce fit find for regional war wey don kill at least 7,000 people, send energy prices soaring, and shake global markets.
Khamenei on Thursday say Trump sign di deal out of desperation and signal say further talks no go easy. If di American side want to be too demanding, we no go accept am, im say for written message. Di deal give negotiators 60 days to reach agreement on di status of Iran nuclear programme unless both sides agree to extension, and set up $300bn reconstruction fund for Iran and other financial incentives.
On Thursday, US forces lift dia naval blockade of Iranian ports wey prevent ships from sailing to or from di country, di US military say, noting say American warships go remain for di general area. Activity still muted for di Strait of Hormuz, di strategic bottleneck for energy shipments wey Iran blockaded during di conflict.
