Vance delays Swiss talks as Iran ceasefire deal faces early strain

US Vice President JD Vance has put off a planned trip to Switzerland for peace talks with Iran, the White House said, slowing the first diplomatic push after Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum aimed at ending the war. The delay matters because the agreement includes a 60-day negotiating window and extends ceasefire terms to Lebanon, where Israeli strikes have already raised questions about compliance.

Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that Vance and his team had been expected to travel on Thursday night before the trip was called off at the last minute. The move followed Israeli bombing in southern Lebanon overnight that killed at least three people, according to Lebanese state media cited by Al Jazeera.

Vance defended the memorandum amid criticism in Washington and Israel, saying it begins a 60-day period for negotiations on a final settlement, Al Jazeera reported. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said there was no confirmation that Iranian negotiators would attend talks because they wanted evidence that the interim terms, including the Lebanon provisions, were being carried out.

The memorandum was signed by the presidents of the United States and Iran and has been described by its backers as a step toward ending months of fighting, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. Critics have questioned its provisions, unresolved issues and whether Tehran will follow through.

In Lebanon, Lebanese state media said two people were killed in a drone strike near Kfar Tebnit and another person was killed in a separate attack in Zabadin. Hezbollah said it had pushed back a four-day Israeli offensive, while Al Jazeera reported that Israel is under pressure to halt operations and withdraw forces under the memorandum’s terms.

In Iran, US Central Command said it had ended enforcement of a naval blockade on Iranian ports as part of the interim arrangement. CENTCOM said US forces were no longer limiting maritime traffic to or from Iran, while US naval vessels would stay in the region to monitor whether the agreement is being followed.

Senior Iranian officials also framed the deal as a result of Iran’s conduct in the war. Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, praised what he called Iran’s victory in a post on X, according to Al Jazeera. Iran’s chief negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned on X that Tehran would answer any US breach or excessive demands with a severe response.

The deal has drawn criticism in the United States from Democrats and Republican hawks. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the country was worse off because of President Donald Trump’s handling of the war and rejected claims that Democrats would support funding for Iran. Al Jazeera reported that critics have alleged the memorandum includes $300bn for Iranian reconstruction, while Trump and senior US officials deny any US money will go to Iran and say outside investment would come from neighboring and participating countries.

Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna reported from Washington that Republican hawks object to concessions to Tehran, including an immediate waiver of sanctions on Iranian oil exports. Hanna said Vance has stressed that no American funds will be sent to Iran and that the administration says sanctions relief depends on progress in nuclear negotiations and Iranian compliance.

US officials have also pressed Israel over the Lebanon terms. Hanna reported that Vance sent strong messages to Israel that military operations in Lebanon must stop under the memorandum.

Political analyst Harlan Ullman told Al Jazeera that the agreement has opened a serious split between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Ullman said Netanyahu opposes the deal and sees it as a threat to his political position ahead of October elections, though Al Jazeera reported that Netanyahu has avoided a public attack on the memorandum.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.