KARACHI: Senior officials from the United States and Iran began a new round of high-stakes negotiations in Switzerland on Sunday aimed at ensuring the implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum, the landmark agreement that ended months of conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel and brought the region back from the brink of a wider war.
The talks are being held in the Swiss mountain resort of Bürgenstock and are being attended by United States Vice President JD Vance and a high-level Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Deputy Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Bagheri Kani and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati are also participating in the discussions.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir arrived in Switzerland late Saturday to join the negotiations, underscoring Pakistan’s central role in facilitating dialogue between Tehran and Washington. Qatari mediators are also participating in the talks.
The negotiations come days after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and U.S. President Donald Trump formally signed the Islamabad Memorandum electronically on June 17, following months of indirect contacts and mediation efforts led primarily by Pakistan with support from Qatar, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
The agreement formally ended the conflict that began on February 28 and triggered significant instability across the Middle East, causing oil prices to surge above $100 per barrel and creating concerns about the global economic outlook.
Iranian officials have emphasized that the primary objective of the Swiss talks is to ensure full implementation of the memorandum and establish mechanisms to verify compliance by all parties.
Speaking before departing for Switzerland, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that agreements must be judged by actions rather than signatures.
“Any understanding or agreement is ultimately put to the test during its implementation,” Baqaei said, adding that Iran would seek firm guarantees that all commitments contained in the memorandum are respected.
Iran has also raised concerns over continued Israeli military operations in Lebanon, arguing that Washington has yet to fulfill its obligations under the agreement to halt hostilities on all fronts.
According to Iranian officials, the Islamabad Memorandum calls for a ceasefire across the region, including Lebanon, where renewed Israeli attacks on Saturday reportedly killed dozens of people and threatened to undermine fragile diplomatic progress.
Analysts believe the Swiss talks will focus on implementation procedures, confidence-building measures, verification mechanisms and steps aimed at preventing a return to military confrontation.
The participation of Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership has attracted particular attention. Diplomatic observers say Islamabad’s successful mediation efforts have enhanced Pakistan’s international standing and demonstrated its ability to play a constructive role in resolving major regional disputes.
Officials familiar with the negotiations say Pakistan has maintained regular communication with both Tehran and Washington throughout the peace process and was instrumental in bridging differences that had previously prevented direct engagement.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf described the negotiations as a responsibility toward those who lost their lives during the conflict.
In a statement posted on social media after arriving in Switzerland, Ghalibaf paid tribute to the victims of the war, including students killed during an airstrike on a school in the southern Iranian city of Minab on the first day of the conflict.
International markets are closely watching the outcome of the talks. Economists say successful implementation of the agreement could help stabilize global energy markets, ease inflationary pressures and reduce geopolitical risk premiums that have affected investment and trade flows across the region.
Diplomatic sources remain cautiously optimistic that the negotiations will produce a detailed roadmap for implementing the Islamabad Memorandum and strengthening the ceasefire.
While few expect an immediate comprehensive settlement of all outstanding issues, officials involved in the process believe Sunday’s discussions could represent a critical step toward transforming a ceasefire agreement into a broader framework for regional peace and stability.
