Iran has agreed to invite International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors back into the country, US Vice President JD Vance stated on Monday after the first round of direct talks in Switzerland. The announcement came as mediators Pakistan and Qatar released a joint statement confirming that Washington and Tehran had agreed on a “roadmap towards reaching a final deal within 60 days” and that technical negotiations would continue at the Bürgenstock resort for the rest of the week. The two sides also established a High-Level Committee for political oversight and a communication channel to ensure safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

Viewed from Washington, the talks laid what Vance called a “very good foundation for a successful final deal.” He described the IAEA inspections as “a major milestone” and the first step toward permanently ending an Iranian nuclear weapons programme. The US vice president also floated a mechanism, devised with Qatar, under which any unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to purchase American soy, corn and wheat, rather than fund what he termed terrorism. The US Treasury separately issued a temporary waiver allowing Iran to produce, sell and deliver crude oil and petrochemical products through 21 August, citing Tehran’s commitments on the Strait of Hormuz and IAEA access. President Donald Trump, however, posted threats on social media during the talks, warning Iran to stop its “highly paid proxies” in Lebanon or face being hit “very hard.”

Iranian officials offered a more circumspect account. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the meeting was not the start of formal nuclear negotiations but a presentation of each side’s positions, and that the Iranian delegation briefly suspended its participation after what it called “threatening and insulting” remarks by Trump. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later wrote on social media that “tireless Pakistani and Qatari mediation has delivered major progress to end Lebanon War,” while cautioning that the first real test would be the Lebanon deconfliction cell. Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes and that any final agreement must include the full lifting of sanctions.

The talks are the first stage of a two-month negotiating period set out in a memorandum of understanding signed electronically last week by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. That preliminary deal, which followed nearly four months of conflict triggered by US and Israeli strikes on 28 February, committed both sides to a cessation of hostilities, reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and eventual termination of US sanctions. The war in Lebanon between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah has repeatedly threatened to unravel the ceasefire; Israeli leaders have expressed deep reservations about the deal and insist their forces will remain in southern Lebanon. Lebanese authorities reported that the death toll from Israeli operations has reached 4,106.

Technical teams from both countries remain at Bürgenstock to work on verification mechanisms, sanctions relief, and the future of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile. While Vance has returned to Washington, US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are handling the detailed negotiations. The IAEA director general, Rafael Grossi, was also present at the Swiss venue. The next concrete step is the activation of the Lebanon deconfliction cell, which Araghchi described as the first practical test of the emerging framework. A final agreement is expected to be negotiated within the 60-day window, though both the Iranian insistence on sanctions removal and Israeli security demands remain unresolved.