US-Iran talks in Switzerland canceled despite ceasefire push
Planned US-Iran talks in Switzerland were canceled on Friday after logistical issues delayed the expected arrival of a US delegation, despite recent diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict between Washington and Tehran.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry announced that discussions scheduled to take place at Bürgenstock would no longer go ahead.
“The discussion at Bürgenstock will not take place as planned today,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that the meeting announced earlier had been canceled.
The announcement came shortly after the White House said US Vice President JD Vance would not depart for Switzerland on Thursday as logistical arrangements for anticipated technical negotiations with Iran remained unresolved.
“As of now, the US vice president is not departing tonight,” a White House spokesperson said, noting that plans for the talks had not yet been finalized.
“The logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable,” the spokesperson added, while reiterating that Washington remains ready to begin technical discussions “as soon as possible.”
Earlier on Thursday, Vance told reporters he still expected the talks to begin over the weekend, although timing remained uncertain.
The diplomatic uncertainty follows the signing on Wednesday of the “Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding” by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The agreement, electronically signed with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif acting as mediator, is intended to create a framework for ending the conflict between the United States and Iran.
According to Sharif, the deal provides for the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran and the lifting of the US naval blockade.
Trump expressed optimism about the agreement on Thursday, saying he expected a broad regional ceasefire to take hold.
“The US is committed to peace, and we encourage everyone in the Middle East region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations to beautifully unfold,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“We expect a complete ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel,” he added, while saying financial markets were responding positively, with oil prices falling and stock markets rising.
Meanwhile, the financial impact of the conflict is emerging as a growing concern in Washington.
The Pentagon needs approximately $80 billion to cover costs related to the Iran war and other military expenditures, Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg told lawmakers this week, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Thursday.
Citing people familiar with the discussions, the newspaper reported that Defense Department officials warned military services could face funding shortages for operations later this summer unless Congress approves additional wartime spending.
The proposed funding would cover expenses including ship operations, personnel costs and munitions, according to the report. A broader supplemental spending package, including defense and non-defense priorities, could be submitted to Congress in the coming days following White House review.
Feinberg’s outreach reportedly coincided with meetings between Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and senior Republican senators on Capitol Hill, where the possibility of additional defense funding requests was discussed.
The developments highlight the contrast between ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire and the mounting financial demands generated by the conflict.
Source:AA
