US Vice President JD Vance has welcomed the “significant progress” made in negotiations with Iran, stating that UN nuclear inspectors are expected to return to verify Tehran’s compliance with the preliminary agreement.


Following 18 hours of intensive discussions in Switzerland, Iran’s senior negotiators have returned to Tehran, while a technical team remains engaged in follow-up talks on the Islamabad memorandum of understanding.


Mediators Pakistan and Qatar described the first round of high-level US-Iran talks as “constructive and encouraging”, noting that both sides have agreed on a roadmap aimed at securing a final agreement within the next 60 days.


Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz reaffirmed that Israeli forces will maintain their presence in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary, while Hezbollah pledged to respond to any violations of the ceasefire agreement.