An Iranian delegation reportedly walked out of US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland, citing US violations of commitments to halt military operations, particularly in Lebanon, amidst ongoing Israeli retaliatory bombing campaigns. The walkout, according to Tasnim News Agency, occurred after the delegation refused to return to the table following a half-hour break, protesting what it described as “threatening and insulting statements” from US President Donald Trump.
Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem accused Israel of seeking to deceive negotiators, stating that the country “did not give any concessions to Lebanon in the past months and only sought deception, intensified attacks, and dictated its demands.” This accusation comes as Israel continues its military operations in Lebanon, which have complicated diplomatic efforts.
Ongoing Israeli Military Operations
US President Donald Trump also expressed frustration with Israel’s recent actions in Lebanon and with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s continuation of retaliatory bombing campaigns. Trump acknowledged that these actions had complicated the negotiation process, highlighting the direct impact of Israeli military aggression on regional diplomatic initiatives. The Iranian delegation specifically protested the US’s violation of commitments, particularly from the first article of the memorandum of understanding, which states that signing the agreement will stop “military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”
The negotiations, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, were held in Switzerland with the stated aim of establishing a 60-day roadmap to a deal. Discussions focused on elements of a potential nuclear deal and the enforcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon. The first round of talks lasted approximately 80 minutes, with a US diplomat telling Axios that discussions continued “almost non-stop” throughout the day across different formats.
US Diplomatic Shielding
Despite the Iranian walkout and ongoing Israeli military actions, the US diplomat claimed that “all four parties seem pleased with how the talks went today,” adding that the initial round was “setting us up for trust building going forward.” This statement emerged even as a dispute arose over the content of the discussions, with Iran’s state broadcaster asserting that no negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear program took place, directly contradicting the US diplomat’s claim of robust discussions on all elements of the nuclear deal.
Mediators Qatar and Pakistan continued their efforts to exchange messages between the delegations, though a final result had not yet been reached. Iran’s foreign minister stated that major progress had been made in talks with the US to end the Lebanon war, emphasizing the importance of the negotiations and Switzerland as the venue.
Regional Conflict and Unenforced Agreements
Separately, a ceasefire deal related to the Lebanon conflict was announced on April 7 and went into effect on April 8 of the same year. However, the broader regional conflict has continued, involving Iranian retaliation across the Middle East with attacks on Gulf nations and US military bases. Israel has reported casualties, including 13 IDF soldiers and 23 civilians killed, with about 7,693 injured in ballistic missile attacks since February 28 of the same year. The ongoing hostilities underscore the gap between diplomatic efforts and the realities of military actions on the ground, particularly Israel's continued retaliatory bombing campaigns in Lebanon, which directly contradict the stated aim of halting military operations.