Trump envoys head to Switzerland for potential Iran talks
White House envoy Steve Witkoff is on his way to Switzerland, where the first round of talks with Iran on a potential nuclear deal is expected to take place, a U.S. official told Axios.
- The U.S. official said Trump’s envoy Jared Kushner is already in Switzerland.
Why it matters: The talks were supposed to start on Friday but were postponed because of the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. It’s not yet clear if a new time has been set for the talks.
The other side: According to a source from one of the mediating countries, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told several of his counterparts on Friday that the ceasefire in Lebanon is a critical issue for Iran and “make or break” for the U.S.-Iran negotiations.
- A second source from one of the mediating countries said the Iranians stressed they want to see a ceasefire take hold before traveling to Switzerland.
- The source said for that reason the talks could not start until Monday, though the timeline could change.
Behind the scenes: Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani, who is one of the key mediators between the U.S. and Iran, arrived in Switzerland earlier on Friday.
What to watch: Vice President Vance was expected to lead the U.S. delegation, but postponed his trip last minute on Thursday night. It’s unclear if he will make the trip this weekend.