US-Iran Bürgenstock Talks Complete First Round

The first round of negotiations between the United States and Iran wrapped up on Sunday in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, marking a key step in ongoing diplomatic efforts. According to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, Tehran’s nuclear programme was not discussed during the meeting with US officials. In a statement shared on X, the broadcaster said the talks were centred on implementing the Islamabad agreement, with the situation in Lebanon taking top priority. Following the conclusion of the first round of talks, bilateral discussions between Iranian and Qatari delegations have now commenced, according to a report by semi-official Iranian broadcaster IRIB. The report said separate talks involving Tehran and Doha began shortly after the initial US-Iran negotiations wrapped up in Bürgenstock, Switzerland. However, IRIB noted that it remains uncertain whether the broader quadrilateral negotiations involving the US, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar will resume later or be halted altogether. Before the formal discussions began, Iran’s delegation declined to participate in a planned handshake and group photograph alongside the US delegation. The opening ceremony featured speeches by US Vice President JD Vance, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif before negotiations officially got underway. Media reports said organisers and US officials had arranged a photo opportunity and handshake between representatives of both sides at the start of the multilateral meeting, but the head of the Iranian delegation rejected the proposal. As a result, the live television coverage and official photo session proceeded without the Iranian representatives, who entered the venue only after the media event had ended. Reports further stated that the US delegation requested a brief five-minute delay before talks commenced, allowing journalists enough time to exit the negotiation hall before discussions began. Iran says Lebanon c