news Alerts
There are no new alerts at this time
The first peace talks between the United States and Iran were postponed Friday, as Vice President JD Vance canceled his planned travel to Switzerland and intense new Israeli strikes in Lebanon cast doubts on the deal to end the war.
Subscribe to read this story ad-free
Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.
The escalation in Lebanon came just days after the interim U.S.-Iran agreement was signed and as the two sides were set to sit down for their first negotiations to agree to a lasting conclusion to the war started by the U.S. and Israel in late February.
Set to take place in the Swiss Alps, the talks were temporarily postponed following the deadly Israeli attacks, a regional diplomat with knowledge of the situation told NBC News.
Tehran asked for guarantees that hostilities in Lebanon would end, as outlined in the deal signed with Washington, and mediators are currently working to resolve the issue, the diplomat said.
Israel said it launched the attacks in response to the killing of four soldiers, including a senior commander, by Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
The talks were meant to launch a 60-day period of negotiations to resolve key long-term issues and ensure a permanent end to the war.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry confirmed early Friday that the planned talks between the U.S. and Iran would not take place in the mountaintop resort of Bürgenstock. The meeting would include Qatar and Pakistan.
“Switzerland remains ready to facilitate these talks,” it said in a statement, adding that “relevant preparatory work” in Bürgenstock is continuing.
A White House spokesperson said late Thursday that Vance would not be traveling to Switzerland.
“As the Vice President said at his press conference, the plans for the upcoming technical talks have not been finalized, and the U.S. delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity,” the spokesperson said. “But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable. As of now the Vice President is not departing tonight.”
The spokesperson added, “We look forward to beginning technical talks as soon as possible.”
Speaking at the White House earlier Thursday, Vance defended the deal with Iran and stressed that Israel had to “respect this peace process that is fundamentally good for them and good for the entire region.”
He also hit out at Israeli critics of the agreement.
“Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time,” Vance said. “If I was in the Cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.”
In Lebanon, Israel said it targeted Tehran-backed Hezbollah across the south of the country overnight and early Friday. At least 18 people were killed, Lebanese health officials reported.
The Israeli military said that four of its soldiers were killed and another five injured. Hezbollah also reported fighting in the area.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he instructed the military to strike Hezbollah “with force” following the deaths of the four soldiers, including a battalion commander, which he called “a blatant violation of the ceasefire.”
The military attacked “more than 80 terror targets and eliminated dozens of terrorists,” Netanyahu said, and hit the group’s headquarters in the Bekaa Valley on Friday morning. “As I have made clear unequivocally, including yesterday: Israel will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary to protect the northern communities,” he added.
Hezbollah accused Israel of never adhering to a ceasefire or the deal that Trump signed, which called for immediate ending to all fighting, including in Lebanon.
There was no immediate reaction from Iranian officials, with the country’s state media reporting on the postponement of the talks but not laying out the reasons for it.
Iran has warned that it would not abide by the agreement should Israel, which has not been part of talks, continue its campaign in Lebanon. On Thursday, Israel published a map with an expanded military control zone in southern Lebanon and said it would not rule out more attacks beyond it.
The agreed 14-point memorandum of understanding calls for an immediate end to “military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” as well as “ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon.”
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said that Trump brought about the interim agreement “out of desperation.”
In a statement released Thursday night on Telegram, Khamenei said Iran would not submit to any “excessive” American demands.
“It is self-evident that the in-person negotiations that will take place in the future will not mean acceptance of the enemy’s position,” he added.
The interim agreement includes reopening the key Strait of Hormuz trading route, after months of disruption for the global economy.
Brent crude steadied Friday but remained set for a more than 8% weekly decline given news of the deal.
NBC News’ analysis of marine traffic through the crucial waterway revealed a trickle of ships travelling through the strait Thursday and into Friday, as two Chinese and two Hong Kong owned ships, and a Japanese crude oil tanker left the Persian Gulf, where they had been stuck since February.
The authority Iran has established to manage the strait has issued new guidelines for vessels Friday, saying it won’t be charging any fees during the 60-day negotiation process, but a transit request must be submitted 48 hours before arrival. Iran would waive “tariffs for security, safety and environmental services” during the period, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority said in an advisory.
Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.
Keir Simmons is chief international correspondent for NBC News, based in Dubai.
© 2026 NBCUniversal Media, LLC
Leave a Reply