US Vice President JD Vance (L) makes an opening statement next to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (C) and Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani at the start of a quadrilateral meeting between the United States, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland. AFP
In a statement Qatar's foreign ministry announced "the launch of the Lake Lucerne Summit and the first meeting of the high-level committee with the participation of representatives from the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the two mediating states, the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan".
The gas-rich emirate added it hoped the meetings would "lead to a comprehensive and lasting agreement addressing all aspects covered by the Memorandum of Understanding", referring to an accord signed by the US and Iran earlier this week.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in a video shared by IRNA state news agency on Sunday said that ending Israeli aggression against Lebanon will top the agenda in talks with the United States in Switzerland, as well as issues such as frozen Iranian funds and the sale of the country's oil.
US Vice President JD Vance said he hoped Washington and Tehran could reset their relationship, at the start of what he called "historic" face-to-face talks in Switzerland on Sunday.
"This is a historic meeting," Vance said at the Burgenstock resort, saying to goal was to "turn over a new leaf to transform our relationship with the people of Iran, and to extend an outstretched hand".
Short link: