▲ The U.S. flag and the Iranian flag
The Iranian government announced on June 19 (local time) that the final negotiations with the United States, which were scheduled to be held in Switzerland, have been postponed, and that plans are being made to hold them within the next few days.
Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated on this day, "The Swiss talks scheduled for today have been postponed to another date," adding, "Plans are currently being established to hold the negotiations within the coming days."
He further added, "We are in consultation with mediators for this purpose, and we will announce the information as soon as the conditions for starting the negotiations are met."
He also explained, "One of the key objectives of today's meeting was the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the end of the imposed war, and we were also set to exchange opinions on the negotiation process for a final agreement," noting that "as the signing was completed digitally in the early hours of June 17, today's meeting became less urgent."
Spokesperson Baghaei emphasized, "According to the MOU, the commencement of negotiations for a final agreement is contingent upon the initiation and continuation of the implementation of Article 1 (ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon), Article 4 (lifting of the U.S. maritime blockade), Article 5 (reopening of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran), Article 10 (exemption from sanctions on Iranian crude oil, etc.), and Article 11 (unfreezing of Iranian assets)."
This means that the main negotiations with the U.S. can only proceed if Israel halts its airstrikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Regarding claims by hardline Iranian media outlets that the Strait of Hormuz should be closed again due to Israel's airstrikes on Lebanon, he dismissed the idea, stating, "A blockade of the strait is baseless," and added, "The Iranian military has taken the necessary measures in accordance with the MOU to ensure that merchant vessels can safely transit the Strait of Hormuz."
Spokesperson Baghaei also denied some media reports claiming that Iran had requested the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect its nuclear facilities.
He emphasized, "In accordance with Article 8 of the previous MOU, negotiations related to the nuclear issue will be conducted within 60 days," adding, "Of course, for this to happen, the preconditions for starting negotiations specified in Article 13 must be met first."
He continued, "The current status of Iran's nuclear program will be maintained for 60 days. While inspections of existing facilities, such as the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, will continue, the decision on whether to allow inspections of facilities where IAEA access was suspended due to criminal military attacks by the U.S. and the Zionist regime (Israel) will be determined based on the future negotiation process and its results."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.