Islamabad/Zurich, 22 June

The US and Iran have agreed on a roadmap aimed at reaching a final agreement within 60 days after hours-long talks at the Swiss resort of Burgenstock, mediators Qatar and Pakistan said on Monday, describing the progress as "encouraging."

In a joint statement, the mediators said that the talks were conducted in a "positive and constructive" atmosphere.

"Encouraging progress has been made, including the creation of a mechanism for further technical talks," the joint statement said.

The high-level talks at the Lake Lucerne Summit in Switzerland, held on Sunday and Monday, took place under the framework of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the US and Iran on Thursday to advance negotiations on regional security and other contentious issues.

While the US team was led by Vice President JD Vance, the Iranian delegation was led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also participated in the discussions, facilitating the negotiations.

In the joint statement issued after the conclusion of the Lake Lucerne Summit, the first high-level committee meeting since the signing of the MoU, the mediators said that representatives of Iran, the US, Pakistan, and Qatar reviewed progress made under the agreement.

Building on the MoU, the parties have agreed to the establishment of a High-Level Committee, which will provide political oversight on the mediation, it said.

The committee will receive regular reports from chief negotiators and supervise specialised working groups focused on nuclear, sanctions and dispute resolution mechanisms to ensure effective implementation of the MoU and oversee progress on issues covered under the framework.

"The High Level Committee has agreed upon a roadmap towards reaching a final deal within 60 days, laying the foundation for the immediate commencement of further technical talks," the joint statement said.

It added that a dedicated communication channel has been established between the parties for the period specified in the MoU to prevent incidents and miscommunication and to facilitate the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, is considered the world's most important oil transit chokepoint. It serves as a key route for crude oil exports from major Gulf producers, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE and Iran.

Recently, the Iran-US war and restrictions on shipping through the Strait disrupted oil flows, triggering concerns over global energy supplies and contributing to volatility in crude prices.

According to the joint statement, the parties also agreed on the creation of a de-confliction cell between the parties, the Lebanese Republic and facilitated by the mediators, to ensure the adherence of the termination of military operations in Lebanon as per the MoU.

In a post on X, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Pakistani and Qatari mediators have delivered "major progress" to end the Lebanon War. He said the first "real test" would be the Lebanon deconfliction cell.

A ceasefire brokered in Lebanon over the weekend appeared to remain in effect, with Israel easing some restrictions in areas near the border.

However, Israel and Hezbollah are not parties to the US-Iran understanding. Israel has said its forces will remain in southern Lebanon until security threats are eliminated, while Hezbollah said it will halt attacks only if Israel commits to withdrawing its troops.

The joint statement said the mediating parties will continue to do their utmost to ensure that the negotiations continue to be conducted in a constructive atmosphere with the aim of reaching a final deal.

Meanwhile, US Vice President J D Vance told the press that “peace requires give and take”.

“This is a historic meet. Never before have Iranian and American leadership met at such a high level outside of Islamabad,” he said on Sunday.

“What today really represents is the beginning of a technical negotiation that’s not going to solve every disagreement, but is going to allow us to sit together as teams, for the first time really in history, to figure out what matters most to the respective parties, to settle those issues, to solve those issues, and get to a better tomorrow,” he said.

“The reason why the political leadership of the respective countries is here is that we wanted to, first of all, set up the structure for these technical negotiations, and second of all, make sure that our teams have our full support and know they can always call on us to break through any barriers.”

Vance, thanking the US president, said a great deal had “already been accomplished”, and the team looked forward to seeing “how much more we can accomplish together”.

“Can we change relations in the Middle East, or do we go back to doing things the old way?” he said. “Where Iran and the Gulf have had an unfriendly relationship, or Iran has been a driver of regional instability? We see a future where everyone can work together to promote peace and prosperity for everyone.”

Pakistan and Qatar also thanked friendly countries for their support and contribution to the ongoing negotiations.

On Monday, Prime Minister Sharif said that the first High-Level Committee Meeting under the framework of the MoU "concluded successfully" in Bürgenstock.

“The discussions were held in a positive and constructive atmosphere and yielded encouraging progress, including agreement on a roadmap toward a final deal within 60 days, the establishment of a High-Level Committee to provide political oversight, and the commencement of further technical talks,” he said in a statement on X.

“Pakistan will continue to play its honest and sincere role in advancing dialogue and diplomacy towards a peaceful and lasting resolution,” he added.

The Burgenstock meeting marked the first formal review of progress under the Islamabad MoU, signed last week following intensive diplomatic efforts by Pakistan and Qatar to facilitate dialogue between Washington and Tehran amid heightened regional tensions.

The MoU was signed by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, with Sharif signing as a guarantor.