Iran, Pakistan and Switzerland have all confirmed the postponement of the planned talks between the United State and Iran which were originally scheduled for Friday at the Swiss resort of Burgenstock.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed the postponement in a post on social media on the same day.
Also on Friday, Baghaei explained while speaking to the press in Tehran that consultations for the next phase of the Iran-U.S. talks are ongoing through mediators, and a new date will be announced once conditions are set, according to a statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
The spokesman noted that with the recently signed MoU, the start of negotiations depends on the implementation of the provisions, including an end to the war and military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, the removal of U.S. naval blockade, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for vessel passage free of charge for 60 days, U.S. issuance of waivers for Iran's exports of crude oil, petroleum products and derivatives, and the release of Iranian frozen assets.
Baghaei said that Friday's meeting was originally intended for officially signing the MoU and discussing arrangements for talks on the final agreement.
However, it became "non-urgent" after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump electronically signed the document on Thursday, he said.
Earlier, Lebanese media quoted sources as saying that the Iranian delegation had suspended its trip to Switzerland for negotiations with the United States due to Israel's continued attacks on southern Lebanon.
Iran's foreign ministry issued a statement on Friday, saying that Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi had held a phone call with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
Araghchi told Dar that the United States has an obligation to end the fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and that the U.S. side should be held accountable for violations of the MoU, according to the statement.
Meanwhile, Dar said on Friday that the postponement of the planned Iran-U.S. talks was due to Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar marking the beginning of the Islamic New Year. Muharram fell on June 16 this year.
He noted that negotiations will begin after Muharram ends.
Dar also mentioned that, following the postponement, the Pakistani delegation scheduled to attend the meeting in Switzerland has been recalled.
If invited, Pakistan will still participate in the subsequent negotiations, he added.
Furthermore, the Swiss Foreign Ministry also announced in a statement on Friday that the planned U.S.-Iran talks at the Burgenstock resort would not take place.
The statement said that Switzerland remains ready to facilitate these talks and the relevant preparatory work will continue.
On the U.S. side, Trump posted a defiant message on Truth Social on Friday, claiming that Iran was the one desperate to negotiate, and declaring "They are FINISHED!"
Trump said the United States would play out the agreed 60-day period but warned Iran would get "no money, not ten cents."
Trump's message came one day after a White House spokesperson announced that due to logistical challenges, U.S. Vice President JD Vance had postponed his trip to Switzerland where he was scheduled to meet with the Iranian negotiators.
According to a Friday report by Iran's state-run IRIB TV, Egypt and Pakistan issued a joint statement earlier in the day, saying that representatives of the relevant countries involved in the mediation efforts for the Iran-U.S. negotiation process will hold a meeting in Egypt on Sunday.
The statement said the mediating parties attending the meeting include Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, but stopped short of disclosing the venue of the meeting.
Iran, Pakistan, Switzerland confirm postponement of planned US-Iran talks
