The U.S. delegation will include Vice President JD Vance, Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, former President Donald Trump's son-in-law. Iran's delegation is expected to feature Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of Parliament, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Officials from Pakistan and Qatar, who have mediated previous negotiations between the two countries, are also anticipated to participate. CNBC reported that Araghchi mentioned the likelihood of the first technical negotiations taking place in Switzerland on June 19, according to Iranian state media.
The U.S. and Iran announced the conclusion of the peace MOU the previous day and completed electronic signatures. The signing ceremony in Geneva on June 19 is expected to formalize the already agreed-upon MOU and transition into subsequent negotiations for a final peace agreement.
The full text of the MOU has not yet been released. According to both sides, the agreement reportedly includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of U.S. maritime sanctions against Iran, and a 60-day timeline for follow-up negotiations.
Nuclear issues will be a central topic in the follow-up negotiations. Vice President Vance stated in a CNBC interview that there are many details to resolve at the negotiation table, highlighting the handling of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile and the establishment of a long-term verification system as key tasks.
The operation of the Strait of Hormuz remains a contentious issue. The U.S. hopes for the long-term opening of the strait without tolls, while Iran maintains that it could charge for maritime services instead of tolls.
Immediate relief from sanctions and the release of frozen funds are not expected to occur right away. The U.S. has indicated that it will consider gradual sanctions relief only if Iran takes specific actions regarding nuclear disarmament and accepts verification measures. Conversely, Iran has insisted that the release of frozen funds and economic compensation are necessary before entering into further nuclear negotiations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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