Just when it looked like tensions were cooling, US-Iran talks hit a snag — and fighting in Lebanon has flared up again.

Talks between the US and Iran have been put on hold, after Vice-President JD Vance pulled out of a planned trip to Switzerland. The White House confirmed late on Thursday that Vance wouldn’t be heading to the Burgenstock resort after all, saying the logistics hadn’t been “simple or predictable”.

This comes just a day after Washington lifted its naval blockade of Iran. That move followed a new deal signed by both countries aimed at winding down the conflict.

The agreement — a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding — is pretty sweeping. It covers reopening the Strait of Hormuz, commits Iran to never developing a nuclear weapon, lays out a $300bn (£224bn) reconstruction plan for Iran, and promises the US will scrap “all types of sanctions” on Tehran. Both sides have 60 days to nail down a final deal, though that can be extended if they agree.

But despite the deal also calling for an end to fighting in Lebanon, the violence hasn’t stopped. Lebanon’s health ministry says Israeli strikes killed at least 18 people in the south overnight, with 33 injured. Israel’s military says it was targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah and confirmed four of its own soldiers were killed too.

Negotiators were meant to meet for “technical discussions” on implementing the deal, including longer-term issues like Iran’s nuclear programme. For now, Washington says those plans “haven’t been finalised”, but it’s keen to start talks “as soon as possible”. Switzerland’s foreign ministry confirmed the Burgenstock talks are “postponed”, but prep work is still going on.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said he approved the deal despite having a “different view”, claiming Trump had used “all kinds of leverage” to get it done. He added that future in-person negotiations don’t mean Tehran is “accepting the enemy’s position”.

President Trump said he expects a ceasefire “on all fronts”, including between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. That’s written into the agreement. But both sides have kept up strikes since the deal was announced.

Lebanon’s state news agency called the overnight bombardment one of the most intense of the war. The IDF said it hit Hezbollah-linked infrastructure and fighters.

Responding to the deaths of four IDF soldiers, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted on X: “All of Lebanon must burn… the blood of our sons and the security of our citizens are not up for bargaining.”

Vance had already taken a swipe at some members of Netanyahu’s cabinet on Thursday, telling reporters Israel should “wake up and smell the reality”.

Lebanon got dragged into the wider Israel-US-Iran conflict after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel, following a strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader. Israel hit back with a bombing campaign and ground invasion in southern Lebanon, aiming to push Hezbollah fighters away from its northern border.

Since then, Lebanese health authorities say more than 3,900 people have been killed in Israeli attacks, including women and children. It’s unclear how many were Hezbollah fighters. Israeli authorities say at least 30 soldiers and four civilians have been killed on both sides of the border.

Source: cbinews.tv

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