US and Iran begin fresh peace talks in Switzerland, with Pakistan and Qatar as mediators

Senior officials from the United States and Iran began a new round of high level talks in Burgenstock, Switzerland, on Sunday with Pakistan and Qatar playing a key role in the mediation process.

Senior officials from the United States and Iran began a new round of high level talks in Burgenstock, Switzerland, on Sunday with Pakistan and Qatar playing a key role in the mediation process. The meeting is aimed at building on the recently signed Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and finding a lasting solution to several major regional issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme and the conflict in Lebanon.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed hope that the discussions would produce positive results for the region and the wider world. He said the gathering reflected months of diplomatic efforts and praised everyone involved for helping bring the two sides to the negotiating table. The prime minister also acknowledged the contribution of Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, describing his efforts and patience as an important part of the peace process.

US Vice President JD Vance called the meeting a historic opportunity and stressed that meaningful peace could only be achieved through compromise from all sides. He thanked President Donald Trump for supporting diplomacy and said the United States wanted to build a new relationship with Iran if Tehran permanently abandoned its nuclear weapons ambitions. Vance said Washington was committed to achieving a wider regional ceasefire, including in Lebanon, although he admitted that maintaining such agreements would remain challenging.

He also praised Pakistan’s role in the negotiations and spoke warmly about his close working relationship with Field Marshal Asim Munir over the past several months. According to Vance, the talks present an opportunity to replace years of tension with cooperation that could benefit the entire Middle East through greater stability and economic growth.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani also welcomed the delegations and described the summit as an important step toward improving regional and global security. He said the meeting marked the beginning of a longer process rather than its conclusion and reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to supporting dialogue until a final agreement is reached.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced that technical teams had already started working on the details of the agreement. These specialised groups will negotiate the final wording of the proposed Memorandum of Understanding while separate committees will monitor its implementation and oversee future progress. Officials said the discussions cover issues such as lifting restrictions on Iran, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, releasing frozen Iranian assets and creating a framework to end hostilities.

Before the main session, several bilateral and trilateral meetings took place between the participating countries. Pakistani officials met both the American and Iranian delegations to discuss the next steps in the peace process. The Iranian delegation was led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and included Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi along with other senior officials. The American delegation included Vice President Vance as well as senior negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the country’s role remains focused on encouraging dialogue and helping both sides implement the commitments already made under the Islamabad agreement. Officials added that discussions would continue for as long as needed to achieve meaningful progress. The outcome of these talks is expected to shape future negotiations and could play an important role in reducing tensions across the Middle East.