A recently signed agreement aimed at ending the Middle East conflict is already facing fresh challenges after planned negotiations in Switzerland were postponed and tensions resurfaced along the Israel-Lebanon border.
The latest setback comes just days after Iran’s Supreme Leader approved a preliminary peace deal despite expressing reservations about certain aspects of the agreement. Meanwhile, Tehran has warned that it is prepared to respond forcefully if the United States fails to honor its commitments.
Regional mediators, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, are expected to meet in Egypt’s coastal city of Alamein on Sunday to discuss the next phase of implementing the deal, according to officials in Cairo and Islamabad.
Preparations had been underway for Iranian and American representatives to meet at the Swiss resort town of Burgenstock, overlooking Lake Lucerne, to begin talks on enforcing the agreement signed earlier this week by US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, issued a stern warning to Washington, saying Tehran would deliver a “decisive response” to any breach of the agreement or attempts to impose excessive demands.
In a post on X, Ghalibaf stated that Iran had already demonstrated its strength during the recent conflict and would react even more strongly to any future provocations.
The accord was designed to formally end the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, which followed five weeks of intense fighting before a ceasefire was reached in April. The agreement also paved the way for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route whose closure had triggered a spike in energy prices worldwide.
In addition, the deal establishes a 60-day framework for broader negotiations, including discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme and regional security concerns.
Ghalibaf and US Vice President JD Vance were expected to participate in the Burgenstock talks alongside mediators from Pakistan and Qatar. However, the Swiss Foreign Ministry confirmed that the scheduled meeting between the United States, Iran, Qatar, and Pakistan had been postponed.
The delay has raised fresh questions about the durability of the peace agreement and the prospects for long-term stability in the region.