▲ Iranian negotiating team arriving at the venue in Switzerland
A spokesperson for the Iranian negotiating team with the U.S. stated on June 21 (local time) that progress was made during talks held in Switzerland.
Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told Iranian state television on June 22, "We have reached an agreement (with the U.S.) to establish a mechanism for the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, which is a significant matter."
He also noted, "We discussed the issuance of necessary permits for Iran's oil exports and the release of frozen funds. These are very important issues, and substantial progress has been made."
He explained, "The war must end on all fronts, including Lebanon," adding, "While the work of the negotiating team has concluded at this stage, working groups will continue their efforts tomorrow at a meeting attended by mediators to address matters necessary for the effective implementation of the memorandum of understanding."
He emphasized, "In accordance with Article 13 of the memorandum of understanding, these conditions must be met first before we can enter into negotiations for a final agreement."
Article 13 of the previous memorandum stipulates that final negotiations can only begin once certain measures are taken, including an end to the war on all fronts such as Lebanon, the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, the resumption of Iranian transit through the Strait of Hormuz, the authorization of Iranian crude oil and petrochemical exports, and the release of frozen Iranian funds.
Spokesperson Baghaei also shared details about the talks, stating, "We had a very long day. The meeting began on Sunday (June 21) morning and lasted for 18 hours."
He said, "During the four-party talks, threatening remarks from the U.S. were made public, and Iran declared that it was not willing to continue the talks under such conditions," adding, "Qatar and Pakistan (the mediators) tried to keep the dialogue going, but we refused."
He continued, "The position of the Iranian negotiating team is that we must hold the other side accountable and pressure them to fulfill their obligations," and added, "We expressed our concerns regarding the other side's failure to keep their promises, specifically pointing out the continuous ceasefire violations by the Zionist regime (Israel)."
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.