LUCERNE, Switzerland: US President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Iran of further military action if it does not restrain armed groups allied with Tehran in Lebanon, as American and Iranian negotiators opened technical-level talks in Switzerland aimed at preserving a fragile ceasefire agreement.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused Iran of backing unrest in Lebanon and threatened renewed military action against Tehran.
“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid proxies in Lebanon from causing trouble,” Trump wrote. “If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder.”
The warning came as delegations from the United States and Iran met in Switzerland for the first round of technical negotiations since the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a Pakistan-mediated framework intended to end months of conflict between the two countries.
The talks opened amid continued tensions in Lebanon and ongoing disagreements over the future of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy shipping route that remains closed by Iran.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency, citing a source close to the negotiating team, reported that Tehran would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the ceasefire in Lebanon was respected and restrictions on Iranian oil exports were eased.
The source said both issues remained central to Iran’s position in the negotiations.
Meanwhile, fighting continued in Lebanon despite a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah. Lebanon’s state news agency reported that Israeli strikes killed at least 20 people on Saturday, one day after the truce took effect.
Israel said the attacks were launched in response to projectiles fired at its forces in southern Lebanon by Hezbollah fighters. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military retained full freedom to act against perceived threats and would continue operations in designated security zones.
Iranian officials have described developments in Lebanon as a key issue in the ongoing negotiations with Washington, arguing that regional stability depends on an end to hostilities there.
Ahead of the talks, the US delegation, led by Vice President JD Vance and including special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
The Iranian delegation, headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, later held separate discussions with the Pakistani leadership.
Speaking alongside representatives from Pakistan and Qatar, Vance praised both countries for their role in facilitating dialogue between Washington and Tehran.
He said the negotiations represented the first opportunity for technical teams from both sides to engage directly and expressed hope that the talks would build momentum toward a broader regional ceasefire.
“The technical negotiations may not solve every disagreement, but it will allow us to sit together as teams for the first time in history,” Vance said.
The US vice president added that Washington wanted Iran to play a constructive role in regional peace efforts and reaffirmed the Trump administration’s commitment to reducing tensions across the Middle East.
The Switzerland talks are expected to continue for several days as negotiators seek to address ceasefire implementation, maritime security, sanctions-related issues and broader regional concerns.