Vice President JD Vance has abruptly postponed his visit to Switzerland, where he was scheduled to participate in a face-to-face signing ceremony and subsequent negotiations regarding a ceasefire memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran on June 19. As a result, follow-up negotiations between the U.S. and Iran for a final agreement are also expected to be delayed.
According to an AP report on June 18, the Vice President's office issued a statement saying, "As the Vice President mentioned in a press conference, the schedule for future working negotiations has not yet been finalized. The U.S. delegation was prepared to depart at the earliest opportunity, but coordinating logistics and schedules for this negotiation has proven to be neither simple nor predictable." The statement confirmed that the Vice President would not be departing that evening.
Consequently, the planned face-to-face signing ceremony and follow-up negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Switzerland on June 19 are now inevitably postponed. Under the terms of the previous MOU, the U.S. and Iran agreed to reach a final ceasefire agreement within 60 days of signing the MOU, addressing key issues such as nuclear development and the Strait of Hormuz.
AP noted that the Vice President's sudden cancellation of the Switzerland visit is linked to a statement from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. In a statement released through Iranian state media, Khamenei acknowledged the approval for direct negotiations with the U.S. but warned, "If the U.S. comes in greedily, they (Iran's leadership) will not accept it," emphasizing that future face-to-face negotiations do not imply acceptance of the enemy's views.
The prominent Arab media outlet Al Jazeera reported that Khamenei's statement reflects the uncertainty surrounding Iran's decision to send a delegation to the negotiations in Switzerland on June 19. The semi-official Iranian Tasnim news agency reported that Iran has not yet made a final decision regarding sending a delegation, and discussions are ongoing.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian completed electronic signatures on the ceasefire MOU on June 17. During a White House press conference that day, Vice President Vance stated, "I can officially say that the 60-day negotiation period has begun today." Counting from June 18, the deadline will be August 16.
He also noted, "According to the agreement, the U.S. Navy has lifted the blockade," adding that "12.5 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz overnight." He concluded by stating that navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is resuming.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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