US, Iran Delegations To Meet In Afternoon With Mediators Present
Members of the Iranian and US delegations will meet this afternoon in the presence of mediators, the official Islamic Republic News Agency, IRNA, reported on June 21, quoting a spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
"Today we have two meetings in the morning and afternoon. We are going to have a one-day meeting. In the morning, bilateral meetings will be held with Pakistani and Qatari delegations as mediators, and in the afternoon, quadrilateral meetings will be held between Iranian and American delegations, with the presence of representatives from Qatar and Pakistan," said ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei.
Baqaei said the main agenda for today's talks will be the conflict in Lebanon. It was previously announced that this issue had been added to the agenda.
"The start of negotiations for a final agreement is conditional on five specific clauses, including clause one of the memorandum of understanding, which oversees the cessation of war on all fronts, including Lebanon," Baqaei emphasized. "We know that this clause has not been implemented and that America has been unable or unwilling to do so. The Zionist regime continues to violate its commitment."
Iran Claims Foreign Currency Reserves Rose By $4.5 Billion
Iran’s central bank governor, Abdolnasser Hemmati, said the country has added about $4.5 billion to its foreign exchange reserves since the start of the war, Iranian media reported on June 21.
He said the increase was intended to support essential imports and stabilize financial operations amid heightened regional tensions.
Hemmati said the combination of war and sanctions had posed serious challenges to the economy, adding that people's livelihoods had been hit hard by the impact of sanctions across multiple economic sectors.
Iran has been under sustained economic pressure, including from sanctions, conflict-related disruptions and longstanding structural challenges.
Delegations Gather For US-Iran Summit Amid Fragile Regional Truce
LUCERNE, Switzerland -- Delegations from the United States, Iran, Qatar and Pakistan began gathering on June 21 at the Lake Lucerne Summit, launching what could become the most consequential diplomatic effort yet to stabilize the Middle East after weeks of war.
The formal talks, centered on implementing the US-Iran memorandum of understanding that established a 60-day cease-fire, are set to begin within hours, according to RFE/RL reporting from the summit venue.
But officials on all sides acknowledge the process could stretch into the next day, underscoring the complexity of the agenda and the fragility of the truce itself.
To read the full report, click here.
White House Defends Iran Team's Travel Restrictions At World Cup
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House World Cup Task Force, defended the travel restrictions placed on the Iranian national soccer team for the 2026 World Cup, saying the arrangements were still under review but no changes had been made to the plans at this time.
The Iranian team is reportedly unhappy that they are only allowed to enter the host city 24 hours ahead of the tournament and must return to their base in Tijuana, Mexico, immediately after each match. Iranian coach Amir Qalehnoui had previously described his team as "the most oppressed team of the World Cup."
Giuliani said that after Iran's June 21 match against Belgium in Los Angeles, the team would return to Tijuana on a 27-minute flight, after which American officials would discuss arrangements for Iran's third match against Egypt in Seattle.
He also confirmed that all of Iran's players and coaching staff had received visas, but some team officials had not been issued visas. Giuliani cited the existence of "negative information" about some of these individuals as the reason for the decision, saying the US goal was to protect the security of its citizens and international visitors to the World Cup.
The US official added that no credible threats to the tournament have been identified so far, but US intelligence agencies are continuously monitoring the security situation at the World Cup.
Analysis: US-Iran Talks Revived As Vance Arrives In Switzerland For High-Stakes Push
BURGENSTOCK, Switzerland -- After briefly appearing to falter, US-Iran implementation talks are back on track, with senior American and Iranian delegations converging on Switzerland for what could prove a decisive phase in turning a fragile wartime memorandum into a broader political settlement.
The renewed diplomatic push followed urgent intervention by Swiss and Qatari officials after uncertainty over Iran’s participation briefly disrupted the schedule.
Swiss Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis held consultations with Qatari Prime Minister Muhammad bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani at Burgenstock, while RFE/RL learned that Pakistani intermediaries and senior aides from both Washington and Tehran were also drawn into efforts to salvage the process.
By June 20, technical experts had resumed preparatory meetings at the Swiss resort, and Bern publicly confirmed the talks remained active.
To read the full report, click here.
Vance Arrives In Switzerland Following Delay
US Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Switzerland for talks with Iranian officials, the VP's spokesperson said in the early hours of June 21.
In comments to reporters before he left, Vance said: “I can only be there for a day or two."
"I think we're going to hopefully make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon cease-fire issue. Those are the two big things that I think we're to be focused on. I'm sure the Iranians are going to have issues they'd like to discuss as well,” Vance said.
Vance is expected to join US envoy Stephen Witkoff and Jared Kushner -- President Donald Trump's son-in-law -- for direct talks with Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in the Swiss resort town of Burgenstock.
He was originally due to depart a day earlier but his trip was delayed, reportedly after Iran postponed the Swiss talks due to Israel's continued attacks in Lebanon.
Pakistan Says Sharif, Munir To Join Talks In Switzerland
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and powerful army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir will participate in the technical-level talks being held in Burgenstock, Switzerland, between the US and Iran, Sharif's office said on June 20.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry earlier said US and Iranian representatives would participate in the meeting starting on June 21, along with mediators from Pakistan and Qatar.
US officials said President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, will participate in the talks, along with the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Vice President JD Vance could also join the talks.
Iran has said that its foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, will lead Tehran's delegation.
Trump Insists No Tolls For Hormuz Passage -- Unless Imposed By The US
US President Donald Trump said there will be no tolls charged for transit through the key Strait of Hormuz during or after the cease-fire being negotiated by Washington and Tehran -- unless the tolls "are imposed by and for the United States of America."
"There will be NO TOLLS in the Hormuz Strait for 60 days during the Cease Fire Period, and there will be NO TOLLS after the 60 day period has expired, unless they are imposed by and for the United States of America, should the deal not be completed," Trump wrote on Truth Social on June 20.
He added that any US fees would be "for services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East for purposes of both past, present, and future reimbursement of costs."
The comments come a day before US and Iranian negotiators are expected to meet for talks in Switzerland as the 60-period set out in a framework signed by Trump and the Iranian president earlier in the week begins.
Tehran for months insisted it had a right to charge a toll for ships crossing the strait -- through which some 20 percent of the world's oil and gas supplies flowed before the war was launched on February 28.
Iran's toll plan received near universal condemnation from other nations, who said the strait was an international waterway and did not belong to Iran.
More recently, Tehran has avoided using the word "toll" and said it would charge fees for services rendered in removing mines or guiding ships through the waterway.
It has reportedly imposed a mandatory insurance requirement on all vessels transiting the strait in what maritime industry observers said was the possible first step toward a broader regime of fees and regulatory controls over shipping through the waterway.
Trump's post on Truth Social came as the key waterway once again was in the spotlight following conflicting reports from US Central Command and Iranian military officials regarding shipping traffic, with Tehran claiming it was closing the route due in response to continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
US Military: Dozens Of Ships Transited Strait Of Hormuz
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that dozens of merchant ships had transited the Strait of Hormuz on June 20, following an announcement by Iran's military command of the waterway's closure.
"Safe passage through the international waterway remained intact today as 55 merchant ships transited, moving large amounts of cargo and more than 17 million barrels of oil to global markets," CENTCOM wrote on X.
"US forces remain present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to, obeyed, and in full force and effect," it added.
The statement was posted as Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the decision had been taken to close the Strait of Hormuz once again in response to Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon despite the truce announced earlier.
The conflicting reports came a day after the United States and Lebanon announced that the next round of Lebanese-Israeli talks would be held next week in Washington after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
US President Donald Trump earlier said Washington would be able to keep Israel from renewing attacks inside Lebanon, citing his "good" relations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and saying that he believed the United States could keep him "sane."
Iran Announces Closure Of Strait Of Hormuz
Iran's military command says it is closing the Strait of Hormuz to commercial traffic in response to continued Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon.
In a June 20 statement carried by the state broadcaster IRIB, Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the decision was taken in response to "blatant bad faith and breach of agreement by the United States" in implementing the first article of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, as well as "Israel's continued violation of the cease-fire in southern Lebanon."
The statement also pointed to the continued presence of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, describing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as the "first step" in Iran's response to what it called "the enemy's breach of the agreement."
The military command also warned that further measures to compel the other side to fulfill its commitments would be put on the agenda should what it termed "aggression" continue.
Speaking to Fox News, US Vice President JD Vance said "there's no proof" Iran has closed Strait of Hormuz in response to cease-fire violations in Lebanon.
Hours before the statement was issued, Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), ran a front-page commentary addressing Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in response to reports that he might travel to Switzerland to meet with an American delegation. Given the ongoing fighting in Lebanon, the piece argued, "a meeting with Witkoff is not justified" and that Hormuz "must be closed."
US President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly traveling to Switzerland to meet Araqchi as part of a 60-day process to clinch a permanent deal to end the war.
Vance said he expects to travel to Switzerland himself for the talks. If he does, Iranian parliament speaker and lead negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf will also likely head to Switzerland.
Israeli strikes on various parts of Lebanon on June 20 -- just hours after a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah was declared -- left at least 10 people dead, and the continued fighting has cast doubt over the announced truce.