Iran: Advancing Sanctions and Nuclear Talks with Washington Requires Lebanon Ceasefire

Tehran has affirmed that the transition to the next stage of negotiations with the United States, addressing its imposed sanctions and nuclear program, will not occur until a comprehensive ceasefire is reached in Lebanon. This was stated by Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqai, indicating that the current meeting in Switzerland aims to follow up on the implementation of the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) related to ending the war, signed on June 18, 2026. Baqai clarified via his account on the "X" platform that Article 13 of the MOU stipulates that the commencement of negotiations for a final agreement is conditional upon the application of specific articles, notably Article 1, which includes ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon. He stressed that without the implementation of these provisions, moving to the final negotiation phase becomes impossible. Baqai added that the talks in Switzerland will focus on the full implementation of the MOU's provisions, including issues related to Iranian oil exports and the unfreezing of assets. Earlier today, Baqai had announced that his country's delegation would hold two rounds of negotiations in Switzerland. He explained in a statement to "IRNA" news agency that the first round would be bilateral with representatives of the mediating countries (Pakistan and Qatar), followed by a second quadrilateral round involving the Iranian and US delegations, in addition to representatives from Qatar and Pakistan. The MOU, signed by both parties on Wednesday, includes a 60-day period for negotiations aimed at reaching a final agreement focusing on Iran's nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions imposed on Tehran. Separately, an Iranian official revealed to CNN that ending the conflict in Lebanon represents "the most important item on the agenda of the Iranian delegation" participating in the Switzerland talks with Washington. The official clarified that these discussions are not considered part of the formal negotiations stipulated in the MOU between the United States and Iran, due to the non-fulfillment of several provisions contained in the agreement, particularly Article 1, which calls for ending the war in Lebanon, thus preventing progress to the formal negotiation phase. In a related context, a diplomat involved in the ongoing US-Iranian talks in Switzerland informed CBS News that an emergency session to discuss the conflict between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah was added to the first day's agenda of the peace talks.