Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is traveling to Switzerland to kick off the next round of indirect nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran.
What’s on the table in Switzerland
The Switzerland talks are expected to involve US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, with mediators from Oman, Pakistan, and Qatar also playing supporting roles. The negotiations are focused on Iran’s nuclear program and the prospect of sanctions relief, with an estimated 60-day timeline for the current phase of discussions.
A memorandum of understanding aimed at resolving key conflicts has set the stage for this round. One critical element: the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes on any given day.
Araghchi has reiterated Iran’s position that its nuclear ambitions are strictly peaceful. Iran has firmly rejected any suggestion that it seeks to develop nuclear weapons, while simultaneously pushing for the easing of sanctions that have strangled its economy for years.
