US-Iran talks rescheduled as Lebanon strikes and Hormuz tensions rise

US-Iran talks that were postponed on June 19 are now expected to go ahead on Sunday in Switzerland. Axios, citing US officials, reported that US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have arrived in Switzerland for the first round of talks.

On the same day, Israeli air strikes continued in southern Lebanon. Lebanon's civil defence agency said attacks in the Nabatieh and Tyre areas killed at least 16 people and wounded 12. The Guardian reported that the strikes came shortly after Israel and Hezbollah were said to have agreed to a renewed ceasefire.

Iran also announced on June 20 that it was closing the Strait of Hormuz, saying the move was a response to Israel's strikes in Lebanon and accusing the US of failing to enforce the new ceasefire arrangements. Axios quoted a senior US defence official as saying Washington had not seen signs that Iran had taken military action to actually close the strait.

Talks moved to Sunday

The meeting had been scheduled for June 19. US Vice-President JD Vance had been expected to travel to Switzerland, but the White House said on the eve of departure that he would not go, adding that such arrangements were "never simple or predictable". Swiss officials later confirmed that the talks had been postponed.

A day later, the US delegation appeared to have changed. Axios reported that Witkoff and Kushner were already in Switzerland and preparing to meet the Iranian side. Iran's foreign ministry said its delegation would travel to Switzerland on Saturday and would ask Washington to carry out commitments made in an earlier memorandum.

Public reports say the US and Iran had remotely signed a 14-point memorandum opening a 60-day negotiating window. The agenda includes Iran's nuclear programme, sanctions relief, shipping through Hormuz and ceasefire arrangements across fronts including Lebanon.

Lebanon ceasefire remains fragile

Fighting in southern Lebanon had already escalated before the Swiss meeting was postponed. The Guardian reported that Hezbollah attacked Israeli troops near Nabatieh, killing four Israeli soldiers. Israel then launched strikes in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.

Israel said it was striking Hezbollah facilities and accused the group of violating the ceasefire. Hezbollah said Israeli forces were trying to advance toward hills around Nabatieh and that its fighters were targeting that movement. The group also claimed to have destroyed three Israeli tanks; Israel has not confirmed that claim.

The strikes on June 20 showed that the situation on the ground remained unstable despite reported ceasefire arrangements. Lebanon's civil defence agency said rescue workers had been responding to several attack sites in the Nabatieh area since early morning and had taken casualties to hospital.

Hormuz returns to the talks

The Strait of Hormuz is a key route for global energy shipments. After the US-Iran memorandum was signed, shipping data had suggested some traffic through the strait was resuming. Iran's announcement on June 20 put the issue back at the centre of the talks. Tehran linked the decision to Israel's actions in Lebanon and said Washington had not fulfilled the ceasefire deal. The US said it had not seen evidence of an actual military closure.

What remains uncertain

The US-Iran memorandum has not been declared void by either side. US representatives are in Switzerland, and Iran says its delegation will attend. But the latest moves in Lebanon and Hormuz mean the talks will begin under pressure.

Three questions remain open: whether Sunday's talks will take place as planned; whether Iran turns its "closure" of Hormuz into military or shipping restrictions; and whether Israel expands its operations in southern Lebanon.

Source note: This article is based on Axios reports from June 19-20 on US envoys arriving in Switzerland, Iran's delegation plans and Iran's announcement on the Strait of Hormuz, as well as The Guardian's June 20 report on Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. Casualty figures are attributed to Lebanon's civil defence agency as reported by The Guardian. Hezbollah's tank-destruction claim is treated as a claim. Iran's announcement on Hormuz is presented alongside the US statement that it had not seen signs of an actual military closure. References: Axios, Axios, The Guardian.