Witkoff Travels to Switzerland for Talks with Iran, Vance's Trip Unknown
The US President's special envoy has departed for Switzerland, where the first round of talks with Iran on a potential nuclear agreement is expected to take place, Axios reports , citing an American source.
Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, and J.D. Vance, photo by Jacquelyn Martin — Pool/Getty Images
The official also told the publication that Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who also serves as an envoy, is already in Switzerland.
The talks were supposed to begin on Friday but were postponed due to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, the publication reminds. On Friday, the parties announced a ceasefire. It is not yet known if a new time for the talks has been set.
According to an Axios source from one of the mediating countries, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated on Friday to several of his counterparts that the ceasefire in Lebanon is a critically important issue for Iran and "decisive" for the US-Iran talks.
According to another source, the Iranians stated that they wanted to see a sustainable ceasefire before traveling to Switzerland, and for this reason, the talks could not begin before Monday, although the timing might change.
The Prime Minister of Qatar, one of the key mediators between the US and Iran, arrived in Switzerland on Friday morning. US Vice President J.D. Vance was expected to lead the American delegation, but he postponed his trip at the last moment on Thursday evening. It is unknown if it will take place this weekend, Axios notes.