Iran delegation leaves Zurich; technical talks to continue under ‘commitment for commitment’ framework
The Iranian delegation that traveled to Switzerland for talks on implementing a memorandum of understanding with the United States has left Zurich, while expert-level discussions are set to continue under a “commitment for commitment” framework, Tehran said on Monday.
The delegation, named “Minab 168,” in memory of the schoolchildren and others, who were martyred on the first day of the latest unprovoked American-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic, departed Zurich Airport on Monday.
During its stay, the delegation engaged in intensive and continuous talks that began on Sunday morning and lasted until early Monday, spanning nearly 18 hours.
During this period, the Iranian side held bilateral and multilateral meetings with Qatari and Pakistani mediators, as well as an 80-minute quadrilateral session with the American side.
In these discussions, the Iranian delegation demanded the implementation of Washington’s commitments under the Islamabad-mediated understanding, which was recently signed by the Iranian and American presidents.
Also on Monday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei noted in a post on X that the discussions focused on implementation of four of the MoU’s 14-strong provisions.
He identified the subject matter of the talks as the understanding’s clauses number 1, 5, 10, and 11.
The first clause requires cessation of aggression on all fronts, especially in Lebanon, while the fifth one lays emphasis on Iran’s continued sovereignty alongside Oman in the Strait of Hormuz and the right to receive service fees for international transit through the waterway.
According to the MoU, the 10th clause guarantees Iran’s ability to sell oil and petrochemical products throughout the talks’ 60-day span, and the 11th provision addresses unfreezing of the Islamic Republic’s assets.
Baghaei reminded that “under clause 13 of the memorandum, the start of negotiations for a final agreement is contingent upon the initiation and continuation of the implementation of clauses 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11.”
The memorandum’s fourth provision demands that the United States withdraw its troops from the areas surrounding Iran 30 days following conclusion of a potential final agreement.
Baghaei, meanwhile, pointed to a joint statement issued by the mediating countries, Qatar and Pakistan.
The statement was drafted in consultation with Iran and the United States, foreseeing implementation mechanisms to monitor the execution of the memorandum’s provisions, the spokesperson noted.
According to the official, technical and expert-level discussions are set to continue with the participation of Iranian representatives headed by Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi.
“The basis of the process is ‘commitment for commitment,’ and the Islamic Republic, while monitoring the implementation of the other side’s obligations, will use all its leverage to ensure those commitments are fulfilled.”
