Envoy Witkoff Heads to Switzerland for US-Iran Talks After Vance Cancels Trip

US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff will lead the United States in upcoming technical talks with Iran in Switzerland, a US official confirmed. The development was first reported by Reuters on Saturday (June 20).

US Vice President JD Vance was originally scheduled to fly to Switzerland to head the peace negotiations, but the White House abruptly canceled his trip at the last minute due to logistical complexities and fresh regional escalations.

Citing official sources, CNN reported that Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner has already arrived in Switzerland to participate in the potential high-stakes negotiations. However, an exact date for the formal opening round remains unconfirmed.

The diplomatic push comes immediately after Israel and Hezbollah announced a ceasefire in Lebanon on Friday. Previously, intense Israeli military operations in Lebanon had threatened to collapse the tentative US-Iran peace framework. Tehran had made a comprehensive ceasefire across all Middle East fronts, including Lebanon, a strict prerequisite for entering negotiations. With the Israel-Hezbollah truce now in place, a major initial hurdle to the peace talks has been cleared.

According to a report by Axios, Witkoff’s visit to Switzerland is intended to launch the first round of technical talks regarding a potential new nuclear deal.

Earlier on Thursday night, the White House announced that Vice President Vance would not be traveling to Switzerland immediately, noting that organizing these high-stakes negotiations is highly unpredictable. Representatives from both sides were expected to hold 'technical talks' in Switzerland to chart the next steps following a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at halting hostilities.

While a White House statement clarified that the exact schedule for the talks has not been finalized, Washington remains hopeful that technical-level discussions will begin as soon as possible.

The Swiss Foreign Ministry also confirmed that the scheduled meeting at the Bürgenstock resort was postponed, but emphasized that behind-the-scenes preparations for the talks are actively continuing.

Political analysts suggest that the initial hesitation to hold the talks stemmed directly from the intense military escalations in Lebanon, which prompted the temporary diplomatic delay. Amid the fluid situation, President Trump told NBC News that he had personally spoken with Israeli leadership to press for the ceasefire with Hezbollah, successfully reviving the diplomatic track.