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Trump envoys head to Switzerland for potential Iran talks

Barak Ravid

Man — Photo: Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images

White House envoy Steve Witkoff is on his way to Switzerland, where the first round of talks with Iran on a potential nuclear deal is expected to take place, a U.S. official told Axios.

The U.S. official said Trump's envoy Jared Kushner is already in Switzerland.

Why it matters: The talks were supposed to start on Friday but were postponed because of the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. It's not yet clear if a new time has been set for the talks.

The other side: According to a source from one of the mediating countries, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told several of his counterparts on Friday that the ceasefire in Lebanon is a critical issue for Iran and "make or break" for the U.S.-Iran negotiations.

A second source from one of the mediating countries said the Iranians stressed they want to see a ceasefire take hold before traveling to Switzerland.
The source said for that reason the talks could not start until Monday, though the timeline could change.

Behind the scenes: Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani, who is one of the key mediators between the U.S. and Iran, arrived in Switzerland earlier on Friday.

What to watch: Vice President Vance was expected to lead the U.S. delegation, but postponed his trip last minute on Thursday night. It's unclear if he will make the trip this weekend.

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Trump envoys head to Switzerland for potential Iran talks

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