TEHRAN— Iran is seeking firm assurances that the United States will fully implement its commitments under the recently signed memorandum of understanding (MoU), Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said on Sunday ahead of high-level talks between Iranian and US delegations in Switzerland.
The talks, hosted at the Bürgenstock Hotel near Lucerne, mark the first high-level meeting between Iranian and American delegations since the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. The agenda includes bilateral consultations with Qatari and Pakistani mediators in the morning, followed by quadrilateral discussions involving Iran, the United States, Qatar, and Pakistan.
“Iran has pursued the implementation of the memorandum from the very first day,” Baqaei said, speaking to IRNA, emphasizing that Tehran views the establishment of a comprehensive ceasefire across all fronts as a central component of the ongoing negotiations and a prerequisite for advancing toward a final agreement, stressing that the value of any agreement lies in its execution rather than its signature. He added that diplomacy can only produce meaningful results when both sides fulfill their commitments in practice.
According to Baqaei, the Swiss meeting reflects Iran’s determination to ensure that obligations undertaken by the other party are translated into concrete actions. He noted that Tehran is not interested in signing agreements without clear mechanisms to guarantee implementation.
The spokesperson said the discussions would focus primarily on implementing the provisions of the MoU. Under Paragraph 13 of the agreement, negotiations toward a final settlement can only begin after five key commitments are fulfilled, including the first provision calling for a cessation of hostilities on all fronts, particularly in Lebanon.
Baqaei argued that this requirement has yet to be fully met, citing ‘continued Israeli violations of ceasefire-related commitments in Lebanon.’ He said the issue would be among the principal topics addressed during Sunday’s negotiations.
He also pointed to several other provisions requiring practical implementation measures, including the release of Iranian frozen assets abroad and the issuance of necessary authorizations to facilitate Iranian oil exports.
While indirect communication between Tehran and Washington has continued through mediators in recent months, Baqaei noted that representatives of all four participating countries would convene in the same room during the current round of talks.
The Iranian delegation is headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who also leads Iran’s negotiating team. The delegation arrived in Zurich on Saturday evening and includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Supreme National Security Council official Ali Baqeri, Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati, National Iranian Oil Company CEO Hamid Bovard, Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi, and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei.
The US delegation includes Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. US Vice President J.D. Vance has also traveled to Switzerland to participate in the discussions.
Prior to his departure, Vance said the talks could last one to two days and would focus on implementation of the agreement, developments related to a ceasefire in Lebanon, and issues concerning Iran’s nuclear program.
Senior representatives from the mediating countries, Pakistan and Qatar, are also in Switzerland.
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