Burgenstock(National Times)- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Switzerland on Sunday to attend technical-level talks between Iran and the United States set for today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The development comes after the long-awaited peace deal<\/a> was signed on Thursday, heralding an end to months of bitter animosity that had gripped the Middle East and plunged the world into an economic crisis. Under the agreement, the US and Iran have agreed on a framework to end the war, lift the US blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Prime Minister\u2019s Office said Shehbaz and his delegation arrived in Zurich. Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir will also participate in the talks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The PMO had confirmed<\/a> the premier\u2019s departure at around 1am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a statement issued in the morning, the Foreign Office (FO) said PM Shehbaz, accompanied by CDF Munir, left for B\u00fcrgenstock to participate in \u201chigh-level talks on the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In its statement, the FO noted that the talks marked the first formal engagement between the US and Iran since the signing of the Islamabad MoU on June 17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It confirmed that high-level delegations from the US, Iran and Qatar will be part of the talks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPakistan will continue to support and advance the implementation of the understandings reached between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the US,\u201d the FO affirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It added that PM Shehbaz is also \u201cexpected to hold bilateral interactions with the participating delegations from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Qatar, Switzerland and the US, to reaffirm Pakistan\u2019s enduring commitment to dialogue and durable peace in the region\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPakistan\u2019s facilitative role underscores its principled, balanced, and constructive approach throughout the crisis, including hosting earlier rounds of US-Iran talks and sustained diplomatic contacts that culminated in the Islamabad MoU.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n US Vice President JD Vance took off for Switzerland on Saturday, saying negotiators would discuss Iran\u2019s nuclear programme and the Lebanon ceasefire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think we\u2019re going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue. Those are the two big things that I think we\u2019re to be focused on,\u201d Vance told reporters before departing from Joint Base Andrews, saying he could only join the talks \u201cfor a day or two\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vance said the situation in Lebanon was \u201cactually getting better\u201d. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be something we\u2019re just going to have to continuously manage to ensure that\u2026 Israel and Lebanon are both safe and secure,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe big problem is that you have somebody will shoot and then somebody will respond, and you kind of have a chicken and egg problem where you\u2019ve just got to stop the shooting for long enough to get the ceasefire to keep hold.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff were already in Switzerland handling technical elements of the talks, Vance said earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Iran\u2019s delegation also landed in Switzerland, the Swiss foreign ministry said in the early hours of Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Iranian delegation is on its way to the B\u00fcrgenstock as part of the implementation of the MoU signed between the United States and Iran,\u201d the ministry said on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Iran\u2019s official news agency IRNA<\/em> said the delegation was led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and included Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ali Bagheri (Deputy for International Affairs of the Supreme National Security Council Secretariat), Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, National Iranian Oil Company CEO Hamid Bovard, Deputy FM Kazem Gharibabad and Esmail Baqaei were also part of the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Earlier on Saturday, the FO announced that technical-level talks will be held in Buergenstock, Switzerland, on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRepresentatives of the United States and Iran, along with mediators from Pakistan and Qatar, will participate in the discussions,\u201d the FO said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPakistan will continue to facilitate the process in its role as mediator, with a view to advancing the understandings reached under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking to Fox News<\/em>, JD Vance said negotiations with Iran \u201care going well\u201d, but that the US \u201chas all the cards\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei announced that Iran will be sending a delegation to Switzerland, according to remarks carried by the Fars<\/em> news agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn Switzerland, we intend to press for the fulfilment of the other side\u2019s commitments and clarify how they plan to act on their obligations,\u201d Baghaei was quoted as saying, emphasising that Iran adhered to its side of the agreement, and the United States is \u201cobligated to compel the Zionist regime (Israel) to cease its attacks on Lebanon\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf part of the counterpart\u2019s commitments is not implemented, the entirety of the agreement will be jeopardised,\u201d the spokesperson was quoted as saying. \u201cThe counterpart must take the necessary measures as soon as possible; otherwise, the agreement will be jeopardised,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 14-point agreement<\/u><\/a> was signed<\/a> by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, with PM Shehbaz signing as mediator. Under the deal, Tehran and Washington have agreed on a framework to end the war, reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a 60-day timeline for further talks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>FO announces talks in Switzerland<\/h2>\n\n\n\n