White House postpones Vice President Vance's Switzerland trip for Iran talks

WASHINGTON, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The White House announced on Thursday that U.S. Vice President JD Vance's planned trip to Switzerland for talks with Iran has been postponed, with the negotiations originally expected to take place on Friday.

"As of now, the Vice President is not departing tonight," a White House spokesperson said. "The logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable." The spokesperson added that plans for the upcoming technical talks have not been finalized, but the U.S. delegation remains prepared to depart at the first available opportunity, expressing hope to begin technical discussions as soon as possible.

The postponement comes amid significant diplomatic developments. Earlier this week, Iran, the United States, and Pakistan announced the finalization of a peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) to end hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon. The Iranian and U.S. presidents signed the MoU electronically on Thursday.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei confirmed on Thursday that despite holding a different personal opinion, he granted permission for the signing of the MoU between Tehran and Washington. The agreement covers a range of issues, including cessation of hostilities, maritime security, reconstruction and economic assistance, sanctions relief, nuclear-related commitments, and an executive mechanism.

The Swiss foreign ministry stated that the Buergenstock mountain resort in Switzerland had been chosen as the venue for initial negotiations between the United States and Iran regarding implementation of the agreement. Mediators Pakistan and Qatar, along with other relevant countries, are expected to attend the meeting, though a specific date has not yet been set.