June 21, 2026 - Negotiations with Iran after Trump’s threat disrupts talks

Our live coverage has moved Get the latest on the war with Iran here. Read more All Catch Up Analysis 50 Posts Link Copied! Takeaways from the talks in Switzerland • “Progress” in talks: Recently concluded talks between the US and Iran were “positive and constructive” according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan. A High Level Committee to oversee mediation and a “line of communication” for the Strait of Hormuz are being set up, mediators said. Technical talks will continue this week in Switzerland. • Tense moments: President Donald Trump earlier angered Iran’s top negotiator by threatening the Tehran delegation , which stalled talks. Trump told Fox News the US could resume bombing Iran and “take over” the Strait of Hormuz if a deal is not reached. • Lebanon conflict: The US and Iran agreed to create a “de-confliction cell,” facilitated by Qatar and Pakistan to ensure the end of military operations in Lebanon, according to the mediators. Fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah has been a key obstacle to a deal, with Tehran insisting that deadly Israeli strikes must stop. Read more Link Copied! Iran talks conclude constructively after Trump's threats stalled them. Here's the latest By Deva Lee US-Iran negotiations concluded constructively in Switzerland overnight and technical talks will continue this week, according to mediators, after President Donald Trump’s threats stalled progress. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said sanctions on his country’s oil had been waived and some of its assets frozen abroad had been released. He also said “a major reconstruction and development plan for Iran has been launched.” Mediators Pakistan and Qatar said the US and Iran agreed to establish a High Level Committee to provide “political oversight on the mediation.” Negotiators reporting to the committee will lead groups focused on nuclear issues, sanctions, and other means to implement the US-Iran agreement , the mediators said in a joint statement. The mediators also said “encouraging progress” had been made in the talks — a surprising outcome after a long stretch of uncertainty. Donald Trump delivers remarks at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on June 19. Alex Wong/Getty Images Just hours before, an Iranian source told CNN talks had stalled after Trump took aim at Iran in an interview with Fox News. Trump threatened to resume bombing Iran and take over the Strait of Hormuz , saying “If they don’t make a deal, we’ll collect tolls.” Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran initially refused to continue after Trump’s threats were aired, according to state media. Trump has previously suggested the US impose tolls on the strait , while insisting Iran never be allowed to do so. Last week, Trump said the US-Iran agreement would ensure the strait is “permanently toll free.” Oil prices climbed after Trump’s threats. But after talks in Switzerland ended, Qatar and Pakistan said Iran and the US had formed a “line of communication” to manage incidents in the Strait of Hormuz , raising hopes that stability for the oil trade chokepoint lies ahead. The line has been created to “avoid incidents and miscommunication with the aim of safe passage for commercial vessels” for the 60-day period outlined in the US-Iran agreement. Still looming over talks, however, is the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon , which has continued despite a recent renewal of their ceasefire agreement. The US and Iran agreed to create a “de-confliction cell” involving Lebanon and facilitated by Qatar and Pakistan, to ensure the end of military operations in Lebanon, mediators said. Aragchi said the “first real test” will be the effectiveness of that effort. CNN’s Lex Harvey, Nic Robertson, Sophia Saifi and Aileen Graef contributed reporting. Read more Link Copied! Mediators say Iran and US form communications line for Hormuz By Lex Harvey Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near the beach of Bandar Abbas, Iran, on Sunday. Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/via WAN/Reuters Iran and the US have formed a “line of communication” aimed at ensuring “safe passage” in the Strait of Hormuz, mediators Qatar and Pakistan said in their joint statement on the recently concluded round of talks in Switzerland. The new communication line has been created to “avoid incidents and miscommunication with the aim of safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz” for the 60-day period outlined in the initial memorandum, according to the statement. According to the memorandum, Iran will use its “best efforts” to ensure “safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge” from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman, and vice versa. The Strait has been a key point of leverage for Iran throughout negotiations. On Saturday, Iran’s military command said it would close the vital waterway in response to Israel’s continued attacks in Lebanon and the US “failing to implement” the agreement to end the war. Trump threatened to “take over the Strait” in remarks to Fox News Sunday that nearly derailed the negotiations. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment on the talks. Read more Link Copied! Sanctions on Iranian oil waived, some frozen assets released, Iran's foreign minister says after talks By Lex Harvey Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives for a bilateral meeting with Switzerland's counterpart at the Bürgenstock Resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne, in Switzerland, on Sunday. Fabrice Coffrini/Keystone/AP Iran’s foreign minister said that sanctions on Iran’s oil had been waived and some of Iran’s assets frozen abroad had been released, in a post following the conclusion of talks in Switzerland. In the post on X, Abbas Araghchi also said that “a major reconstruction and development plan for Iran has been launched.” The post did not provide any details on the frozen assets or the reconstruction plan. In a separate statement, the media committee representing the Iranian delegation said Iran and Qatar had signed a new memorandum of understanding on implementing the release of Tehran’s frozen assets, Iran’s semi-official news agency Fars reported. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment on the talks. Previously, Hossein Ghorbanzadeh, an economy expert on the Iranian delegation, said a draft agreement for a temporary exemption from US sanctions on Iranian oil and oil derivatives had been completed, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency. Aragchi said the “first real test” will be the Lebanon de-confliction cell that mediators Qatar and Pakistan said had been agreed to by the US and Iran, and which would help ensure the end of military operations in Lebanon. Read more Link Copied! Iran initially refused to continue talks after Trump's threats, foreign ministry says By Lex Harvey A U.S. flag hangs at Buergenstock Resort Lake Lucerne on the day of talks between the U.S., Iran, Pakistan, and Qatar at the Lake Lucerne Summit, in Switzerland, on Sunday. Nathan Howard/Reuters We’ve just got the news from mediators that the initial round of talks between Iran and the US have concluded and went well. But Iran has also given further details on how discussions were nearly derailed earlier in the day, underscoring how fragile these talks continue to be. According to state media Tasnim, foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran initially refused to continue Sunday’s talks with the US after President Donald Trump’s threats were aired in a media interview. “During the four-party meeting (mediated by Qatar and Pakistan), a threatening statement from the United States was published, which led Iran to announce that under such circumstances it was not willing to continue the four-way talks, Baghaei said. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment on the talks. Mediators Qatar and Pakistan later released a statement saying “encouraging progress was made by both sides. Some context: Trump earlier said the US might “take over” the Strait of Hormuz and threatened the Iranian delegation in an interview with Fox News Sunday while the delegations were meeting in Switzerland. “You close it and you won’t have a country,” Trump said he told Iranian officials about the critical waterway. “You won’t even make it back to your f**king country.” Earlier, CNN reported that negotiations were stalled, but not over yet, after Trump’s threats, according to an Iranian source. Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also denounced Trump’s “desperation” in a post to X. Mediators “Qatar and Pakistan tried to keep the talks going, and we told them it would not continue in a four-party format,” Baghaei said, according to Tasnim. Still, Baghaei said “good progress” was made in the negotiations. Read more Link Copied! Mediators Qatar and Pakistan say "encouraging progress" made in first round of US-Iran talks By Lex Harvey US Vice President JD Vance, US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir attend a quadrilateral meeting between the US, Iran, Pakistan, and Qatar at the Lake Lucerne Summit at Buergenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on Sunday. Nathan Howard/Reuters The now-concluded talks between the US and Iran were conducted in a “positive and constructive atmosphere” and “encouraging progress” has been made, according to a joint statement from mediators Pakistan and Qatar. The US and Iran have agreed to establish a High Level Committee to provide “political oversight on the mediation,” the statement said. Chief negotiators will report regularly to the High Level Committee and lead working groups focused “on nuclear, sanctions, and a monitoring and dispute resolution group to ensure the effective implementation of the (memorandum of understanding), and on other matters,” the statement said. The committee has “agreed upon a roadmap towards reaching a final deal within 60 days,” the statement said, adding technical talks will continue for the rest of this week in Switzerland “on all issues.” The US and Iran also agreed to create a “de-confliction cell” involving Lebanon and facilitated by Qatar and Pakistan, to ensure the end of military operations in Lebanon, the statement said. Fighting between Israel and Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon has continued despite the ceasefire agreement. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment. Read more Link Copied! US and Iran discussed groundwork for beginning negotiations on permanent truce, Iran's foreign ministry says By Lex Harvey Esmaeil Baghaei speaks during an interview, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, on April 5. Majid-Asgaripour/Wana News Agency/Reuters The US and Iranian delegations discussed the groundwork for negotiations to reach a final agreement, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said, according to state media Tasnim. The delegations in Switzerland discussed the remaining clauses required to begin final negotiations, including releasing Iran’s frozen assets and obtaining sanctions waivers for the selling of Iranian oil Baghaei said, adding “good progress was made.” The US and Iran also agreed that ships must be allowed to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz, Baghaei said. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment. Mediators Qatar and Pakistan will soon release a document outlining the agreements reached during the talks, Baghaei added. Read more Link Copied! Negotiations between the delegations have concluded, technical work to continue, Iran's foreign ministry says By Lex Harvey Negotiations between the US and Iranian delegations in Switzerland have concluded, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said, according to Iranian state media Tasnim. Technical teams will continue their work, Baghaei said, according to Tasnim. Read more Link Copied! Oil prices climb, stocks dip after Trump threats cloud US-Iran talks By Auzinea Bacon A person prepares to pump gas at a Valero gas station in Austin, Texas on June 16. Brandon Bell/Getty Images Oil prices climbed on Sunday after President Donald Trump told Fox News that the US could resume bombing and “take over” the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy trade, if a deal is not reached with Iran. The price of Brent crude rose 1.35% to $81.66 a barrel, and US crude rose 2.4%, to $77.66 a barrel. Talks in Switzerland between the US and Iran stalled Sunday over the Strait of Hormuz, a ceasefire in Lebanon and Iran’s nuclear program. Negotiations will continue “through the night,” a US official