US-Iran talks: Hope and skepticism in the Swiss alps
It's not the first time the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock is playing host to history-makers. Over the decades this mountain hideaway has welcomed rockstars, world leaders, and even been the site of past peace deal signings. Delegations from the US and Iran are due to meet there on
It's not the first time the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock is playing host to history-makers. Over the decades this mountain hideaway has welcomed rockstars, world leaders, and even been the site of past peace deal signings.
Delegations from the US and Iran are due to meet there on Friday, capping off a rollercoaster week of diplomacy that began with a social media post Sunday evening from US President Donald Trump telling the "ships of the world" to "start your engines."
Despite Trump's announcement that the US and Iran had reached a "peace agreement," no details were released. Iranian regime-aligned media began leaking elements of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), and news emerged that both sides had electronically signed a preliminary agreement. Trump said the "official" signing would take place on Friday in Switzerland.
As the week went on, US officials fended off questions about the tentative deal, while Trump travelled to France for the G7 leaders' summit. With pressure building, Trump signed the the official text himself, earlier than expected, over a lavish dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Versailles on Wednesday. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed in Tehran.
The MoU kicks off 60 days of negotiations , with the future of Iran's nuclear program in focus. On Thursday, the Swiss government said "initial negotiations" with the US and Iran, along with mediators Pakistan and Qatar, are still planned to go ahead.
The thaw comes after months of missile and drone fire across the Middle East, which followed the US and Israel's attack on Iran in February. Thousands, mostly Iranian, have been killed in the conflict, as well as 13 US servicemembers. Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Gulf fossil fuel infrastructure have upended the global economy.
But this is only the beginning of the story — and the question looming over the Swiss mountain talks is exactly what kind of history will be made.
We sat Trump's G7 press conference on Wednesday, as he espoused the benefits of his new framework agreement with Iran.
