U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland appear to be strained but not dead, with new reporting saying Tehran remains engaged with mediators despite Iranian anger over President Donald Trump’s latest threats.
This is a follow-up to List25’s earlier coverage of Iranian negotiators suspending direct talks in protest. The new angle is the uncertainty around whether that protest became a collapse. The latest credible reporting points to a messier picture: Iran’s state media says the talks have entered a difficult phase, while an official familiar with the negotiations says the Iranian delegation has not told mediators it intends to leave.
The Associated Press reported that Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency described the Switzerland talks as entering a “difficult” phase after what it called an insulting statement by Trump. But AP also reported that an official with knowledge of the talks said Iran’s delegation remained engaged and had not indicated to mediators that it planned to leave.
The Guardian reported that Iranian negotiators walked out of face-to-face talks in protest at Trump’s threats, but said negotiations were continuing through Qatari and Pakistani mediators. The paper also reported that the sides had made progress on draft language for U.S. waivers lifting sanctions on Iranian oil exports before the protest.
Al Jazeera reported that the talks were unfolding under “high drama” as the United States and Iran tried to turn a fragile 60-day ceasefire extension into a durable end to the war. It said Lebanon remained the biggest pressure point, with Tehran accusing Washington of failing to restrain Israel’s operations there.
Why The Distinction Matters
A protest walkout is serious. A full collapse of the talks would be much worse. The difference matters because the Switzerland negotiations are supposed to define how last week’s interim U.S.-Iran agreement actually works, including the Lebanon ceasefire, the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s oil exports, frozen Iranian assets, and the future of nuclear inspections.
For now, the available reporting suggests the diplomatic channel is still functioning, even if the direct format has been badly damaged. Qatar and Pakistan remain in the middle. Vice President JD Vance is still leading the U.S. side. Iran’s senior team, led by parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, is still central to the process.
The problem is that the political signals are moving in opposite directions. Vance has publicly talked about turning a “new leaf” with Iran. Trump, from Camp David, has warned that Iran could be hit harder if Hezbollah continues causing trouble in Lebanon. Iran’s delegation is now under pressure to show it will not negotiate while being threatened.
Hormuz Is Still A Pressure Point
The Strait of Hormuz remains part of the standoff. Iran’s military said Saturday it had closed the waterway again, tying the move to Israeli attacks in Lebanon and what Tehran sees as U.S. failure to enforce the ceasefire across all fronts. The United States disputes that the strait is actually closed.
AP reported that U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said 67 ships had passed through the Strait of Hormuz over the previous 24 hours, a flow he described as similar to prewar traffic for oil and oil products. That does not erase the risk, but it does mean Iran’s closure claim has not yet translated into a full physical shutdown of one of the world’s most important energy routes.
Oil markets are reacting to the uncertainty. AP said U.S. crude rose nearly 3% Sunday, while Brent crude climbed a little over 1%. Those moves are modest compared with earlier war spikes, but they show traders are still pricing in the chance that the talks could fail and Hormuz could become dangerous again.
Lebanon May Decide The Next Step
The immediate fight is not only about Iran’s nuclear program. It is also about Lebanon. Iran says any deal to end the war must include a ceasefire on all fronts, including Israeli operations against Hezbollah. Israel says it will keep forces in a southern Lebanon buffer zone for as long as necessary.
That leaves Washington trying to keep Iran at the table while also backing Israel’s stated security concerns. It is a narrow lane. Sunday’s update is that the talks have not clearly collapsed, but they have entered the kind of phase where one more strike, threat, or walkout could decide whether the 60-day roadmap survives.