U.S. Vice President JD Vance, right, meets with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during high-level talks aimed at advancing a deal to end the Middle East conflict, at the Bürgenstock Resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne, in Switzerland, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)

NEW YORK (VINnews) — Iran announced that the technical talks with the United States in Switzerland have concluded. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that the next stage will be conducted under the supervision of senior officials such as Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Abbas Araghchi, and J.D. Vance. He described the technical discussions as successful and said they had opened the door to negotiations at higher levels.

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He added that four working groups had been established, including groups dealing with the nuclear issue and the removal of sanctions on Iran. Another working group was agreed upon to prevent escalation in Lebanon, with Pakistan and Qatar joining Lebanon as participants.

Despite the optimism that prevailed during the U.S.-Iran talks held at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland on Sunday night, several contradictions have emerged in recent hours between statements made by Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who headed the American delegation.

Vance confirmed yesterday in a press statement that the United States had agreed to release some Iranian funds, provided there is progress in negotiations between the two sides. He added that the move would benefit American farmers and noted that the funds would be used to purchase American agricultural products. U.S. President Donald Trump likewise emphasized that Tehran would use the released funds to buy American goods.

The Iranian side denied this. Both Ghalibaf and Iranian Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati stated that Iran is not obligated to purchase American agricultural products under the memorandum of understanding.

Hemmati rejected the claims made by Trump and Vance, explaining that the first $6 billion installment of released Iranian funds would be used according to the terms of the 2023 U.S.-Iran prisoner exchange agreement, which restricts spending to basic goods and medicines.

He added that Iran would buy American agricultural products only if they offered better prices and quality than alternatives, noting that in recent years the Ministry of Agriculture has generally relied on major American and European companies for agricultural purchases.

He also stated that the remaining frozen assets,including the second $6 billion tranche and all other frozen funds, would not be restricted to basic goods and could also be used to purchase other products not subject to sanctions.

The second contradiction between the two sides concerns reports that the Iranian delegation withdrew from the talks. Vance stated that all rumors about the Iranian delegation leaving the negotiations, which lasted 18 hours from Sunday night into Monday, were false and amounted to fake news.

However, Ghalibaf later told reporters that Iran’s delegation had in fact walked out of the talks, which were nearing completion after many hours of discussions, after Trump began making threats and provocative statements regarding Iran. According to Iranian state television, Ghalibaf said he informed Vance that the first clause of the memorandum of understanding stipulates that the two countries will not exchange threats.

Vance further stated that Tehran had agreed to allow access for nuclear inspectors. Speaking to reporters after the talks, he said: “We have laid a very solid foundation for a successful final agreement.”

However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei reiterated that Iran had not yet discussed nuclear matters or committed to any new obligations during the Switzerland talks.

He stressed that Iran’s implementation of its commitments under the Islamabad Agreement is conditional upon the other side fulfilling its obligations regarding ending the war, restoring Iranian oil exports, and releasing frozen Iranian assets and funds.