TEHRAN: Iran said on Sunday that ongoing tensions in Lebanon, Israeli truce violations, and the release of frozen financial assets will be the primary focus of its technical-level negotiations with the United States in Switzerland, as Tehran prepares for a new phase of diplomatic engagement.
The statement came as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian strongly defended the preliminary peace framework brokered by Islamabad earlier this week, saying that the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) heavily favour Tehran’s national interests.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told a news conference that Tehran harbors deep concerns over the fragile security situation between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. “The Zionist regime is continuously violating its commitments and obligations in Lebanon, which is why this matter will be the central theme of today’s discussions,” Baghaei said, adding that regional de-escalation remains Iran’s top priority for the Swiss summit.
Beyond the Lebanon crisis, Baghaei said that the repatriation of restricted Iranian financial assets held abroad and the lifting of barriers on oil exports are firmly on the agenda. Tehran is demanding the immediate restoration of access to its overseas funds and the issuance of necessary permits and licenses to resume normalized oil sales.
In a separate address, President Pezeshkian provided further operational details of the interim agreement, claiming a significant diplomatic victory for the Islamic Republic. He confirmed that under the signed framework, $6 billion in Iranian funds currently frozen in Qatar will be fully released to Tehran. Pezeshkian also took a swipe at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, remarking that “the individual most displeased with the negotiations in Switzerland will be Netanyahu.”
Addressing Washington’s core security concern, Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran will not pursue nuclear weapons, citing the religious decree issued by the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He confirmed that the US delegation requested Iran’s position be formally codified, and both parties have now signed the implementation document being finalized by technical teams in Bürgenstock.
