US and Iran set Friday talks in Switzerland after interim peace deal
The United States and Iran are set to begin a new round of negotiations in Switzerland on Friday after agreeing an interim framework aimed at ending the conflict. The arrangement is described as extending a ceasefire for 60 days while the sides work through the most difficult issues still unresolved. Those include Iran's nuclear programme, sanctions relief and terms linked to fighting on multiple fronts.
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The deal was digitally signed on Monday, according to the supplied material, and a formal signing is now targeted for Friday in Geneva. US President Donald Trump has said the Strait of Hormuz would be "completely open" on Friday, while French President Emmanuel Macron said the priority was to secure a "solid, serious agreement that is finalised". The same reporting says the talks are expected to cover highly enriched uranium and the lifting of sanctions.
The immediate significance of the agreement is that it appears to create a narrow window for diplomacy after a wider conflict that has raised alarm over regional security and energy flows. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical shipping route, and leaders meeting in France have focused on reopening it and identifying alternative energy routes that bypass the waterway. The material also says a possible Franco-British-led maritime mission has been discussed to help restore maritime security.
The development comes as G7 leaders gather in France with Iran and Ukraine high on the agenda. The leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the UK issued a joint statement welcoming what they called a diplomatic breakthrough and urging detailed negotiations and rapid implementation. Canada also signed the statement, while leaders from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Egypt were expected to attend the wider talks but not to take part in detailed discussions on Iran's nuclear programme.
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The background to the talks is a preliminary deal between Washington and Tehran that was presented as a step towards ending the wider conflict in the Middle East. The supplied material says the agreement opens a 60-day negotiation window, suggesting that the coming talks will be used to settle issues that were left open in the initial framework. The involvement of mediators is also highlighted, with the joint statement praising their role in reaching the breakthrough.
What remains unclear is how quickly the parties can turn the interim arrangement into a final agreement, and whether the ceasefire can hold while the negotiations continue. It is also not yet clear how far the sides are apart on uranium, sanctions and regional security terms, or what practical steps will be taken to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The next key marker is Friday's meeting in Geneva, which will show whether the diplomatic opening can be converted into a durable settlement.
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