LUCERNE, June 22. /Dunyo IA/. First round of negotiations between the United States and Iran aimed at reaching a final agreement to end the war has concluded with “encouraging progress”, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing with “Reuters”.

Negotiations commenced on June 21^st in Switzerland following the online signing of a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran last week. In a joint statement, the mediators Qatar and Pakistan announced that the sides had agreed on a “road map” to conclude a final agreement within 60 days.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the talks yielded “significant progress” regarding the cessation of the conflict in Lebanon.

The sides agreed to establish a dedicated communications hotline to prevent incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and a de-escalation mechanism between the United States, Iran and Lebanon to bring an end to military operations on the Lebanese front.

The memorandum provides for the cessation of hostilities “on all fronts”, reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the preparation of a final agreement within 60 days. However, the issue of Iran's nuclear program, which Washington cites as the primary cause of the conflict, remains a subject of further negotiations.

Amid these diplomatic efforts, tensions in Lebanon persist. Following the signing of the agreement, clashes between “Hezbollah” and Israeli forces intensified. According to Lebanese authorities, dozens of people were killed as a result of Israeli strikes on the south of the country.

On the day of the negotiations, US President Donald Trump demanded that Iran halt the activities of its allies in Lebanon and threatened new strikes against the country. Iran's chief negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bager Ghalibaf, rejected Washington's threats.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israeli troops would remain in southern Lebanon for as long as necessary to ensure the security of Israel's northern regions. “Hezbollah” leader Naim Qassem rejected the possibility of any Israeli military presence on this territory.

The initial agreement between the United States and Iran also provides for a USD 300 billion reconstruction plan for Iran and the lifting of American sanctions. The United States, for its part, has agreed to lift the naval blockade on vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports.

Despite Tehran's statement regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, ship tracking data indicates the continued movement of commercial vessels through this route.

Photo by “Reuters”