U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is traveling to Switzerland for the first round of nuclear negotiations with Iran, U.S. officials said, as both sides attempt to revive a process derailed by the postponement of Friday’s planned talks. President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner is already in the country, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has drawn up travel plans that remain contingent on a cessation of Israeli strikes against Hizbullah in Lebanon. The original round was called off hours after Vice President JD Vance abruptly postponed his own journey, with Tehran blaming Israel’s continued bombardment of southern Lebanon and its refusal to demobilize.

The push to restart talks follows the remote signature on 18 June of a 14-point memorandum of understanding by President Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The agreement ended a war that began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on 28 February which killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. It commits both sides to a 60-day window to negotiate a comprehensive final accord covering Iran’s nuclear programme, the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen assets, and guarantees to prevent further escalation. The MoU also set deadlines for the U.S. to lift its naval blockade and for Iran to restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Viewed from Washington, the decision to dispatch Witkoff and Kushner signals an intent to lock in the recent framework despite logistical complications and tensions on the Lebanese front. The White House has said it looks forward to beginning technical talks “at the earliest opportunity,” while Trump warned that failure to reach a deal would trigger actions “they will not like.” Tehran, communicating through regional partners, has made clear that a permanent ceasefire in Lebanon is a critical and decisive issue for the negotiations. Iranian officials stated they want to see the truce implemented on the ground before proceeding to Switzerland. Following the Friday postponement, Israel’s military announced it had reached a ceasefire with Hizbullah, though its scope remains undefined.

Regional mediators continue to play an active role. An inter-Arab committee—comprising Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE—has been supporting back-channel efforts, and Pakistan’s interior minister planned a trip to Tehran to discuss the state of talks. The Swiss foreign ministry, which initially announced the cancellation of Friday’s session, reportedly continues to facilitate the process from the Bürgenstock venue. As yet, no new date has been set for the substantive round, and the 60-day clock underscores the urgency. The talks represent a potential pathway to a durable settlement in the Middle East, but their fate remains tied to parallel security dynamics—especially the fragile Israel-Hizbullah truce—and the willingness of both capitals to translate the preliminary memorandum into lasting commitments.