U.S.-Iran Talks Shrink to 3-Way Format as Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jun 20
U.S.-Iran Talks Shrink to 3-Way Format as Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jun 20
Summary
Plans shifted to a smaller U.S.-Iran meeting in Switzerland involving Abbas Araghchi, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner after Iran briefly pulled its delegation over Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon.
Iran’s military then said it was closing the Strait of Hormuz in response to those strikes, complicating a 60-day push to turn Wednesday’s memorandum into a full peace accord.
A renewed Israel-Hezbollah truce restored some momentum, but overnight Israeli attacks that killed at least five people in southern Lebanon created another immediate obstacle to launching formal talks.
Washington’s priority is reopening the strait and moving oil tankers, while Tehran still has strong incentive to preserve a deal promising sanctions relief, regime survival and billions in unfrozen assets.
The talks also face deep mistrust: Iranian officials see Trump as unreliable after he abandoned earlier agreements, and they want proof he can restrain Israel long enough for a broader accord.