U.S. and Iran begin peace negotiations in Switzerland

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iranian officials, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, have commenced peace talks in Switzerland mediated by Pakistan and Qatar. The discussions follow a 60-day ceasefire agreement signed on Wednesday by President Donald Trump and President Masoud Pezeshkian to end a four-month conflict. While Vice President Vance reported initial progress, tensions remain high regarding the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have closed the waterway, citing Israeli actions in Lebanon as a violation of ceasefire commitments. In contrast, the U.S. Central Command stated that 55 commercial vessels transited the strait on Saturday, carrying 17 million barrels of oil. President Trump indicated that no transit tolls would be charged unless peace talks fail. The negotiations seek to transform the bilateral relationship and address the ongoing regional instability.