US and Iran advance talks under Islamabad memorandum

US Vice President JD Vance said there was “great progress” in negotiations with Iran that began in Switzerland, aiming to implement the Islamabad memorandum signed on June 17. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Qatar’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman opened the talks to facilitate the agreement.

The memorandum outlines a cease‑fire between the United States and Iran, a withdrawal of the US naval blockade, resumption of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, lifting of sanctions and Iran’s pledge not to pursue nuclear weapons. Vance added that further progress is expected in the coming hours and emphasized the potential to transform Middle‑East relations if Iran renounces its nuclear ambitions.