WANA (Jun 22) – The spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baghaei, stated that significant progress had been made during the diplomatic talks in Switzerland regarding the implementation of commitments by the opposing side.

 

Speaking to reporters early Monday morning following a day of intensive discussions at the four-party summit, Esmaeil Baghaei noted that the fundamental purpose of Iran’s presence was to demand that the other side fulfill its obligations, adding that Tehran had firmly raised its concerns regarding omissions and compliance during the sessions.

 

Walkout and Shift to Indirect Talks

Detailing the day’s timeline, Baghaei remarked that the delegation had experienced an exceptionally long day. Discussions commenced on Sunday morning with bilateral meetings alongside the mediators. At approximately 3:00 PM, a four-party plenary session began, bringing together delegations from Iran, the United States, Qatar, and Pakistan.

 

According to the spokesperson, after roughly an hour and a half of debate, the parties agreed to a brief one-hour recess. During this interval, offensive and threatening remarks by the U.S. President were published in the media.

 

Baghaei stated that this development prompted the Islamic Republic’s delegation to explicitly declare that it was unwilling to continue participating in the direct four-party framework under such conditions.

 

Although Qatar and Pakistan launched extensive efforts to keep the talks on track, the Iranian delegation insisted that any further communication would not be direct. Consequently, the proceedings shifted exclusively to a four-party framework managed through the exchange of messages via mediators.

 

Technical Achievements and De-escalation Mechanism

Baghaei outlined key outcomes achieved through the exchange of indirect messages, which lasted from 6:00 PM until the early hours of Monday morning:

 

Establishment of a De-confliction Cell: To oversee Clause 1 of the memorandum of understanding, a new supervisory mechanism called a “De-confliction Cell” was created with the help of mediators. This unit is designed to guarantee a sustainable cessation of hostilities and military operations across all fronts, specifically ensuring that the end of the war in Lebanon remains durable.

 

Sanctions Relief and Asset Release: Significant progress was recorded concerning Clauses 10 and 11, focusing on the issuance of necessary waivers for the sale of Iranian oil and petroleum products, alongside binding commitments by the opposing side to unfreeze restricted or blocked Iranian assets. Practical steps in these areas are required under Clause 13 before entering final agreement negotiations.

 

Strait of Hormuz Security: The parties agreed to establish a dedicated mechanism to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

 

Roadmap for Technical Teams

The spokesperson concluded by stating that technical working groups would continue their operations regarding these matters and other points essential for the effective execution of the memorandum.

 

Furthermore, under Clause 12, a joint monitoring mechanism will be established to oversee compliance by both sides. Technical teams from both countries, accompanied by the mediators, are scheduled to begin detailed group sessions on Monday to iron out the specific components of the agreement.

 

The broad parameters of these 18-hour negotiations will be formally compiled and published in a joint statement by the Qatari and Pakistani mediators.