Araghchi: Significant Progress Achieved toward Ending War on Lebanon

By staff, Agencies

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that significant progress has been made toward ending the war on Lebanon, amid ongoing mediation efforts led by regional actors, as technical teams continue work in Switzerland following the conclusion of high-level negotiations.

Araghchi stated that intensive diplomatic engagement, supported by Pakistani and Qatari mediation, contributed to advancing discussions aimed at de-escalation and ending military operations. He added that key outcomes were reached on economic and strategic files under discussion.

For his part, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei confirmed that the Islamic Republic’s negotiating delegation has concluded its work in Switzerland, while technical teams will continue addressing remaining issues.

Baghaei said the talks, held over multiple sessions, included discussions on sensitive economic matters, including oil exports, sanctions relief, and access to frozen Iranian assets. He noted that “good progress” was achieved in several areas.

According to Baghaei, negotiations included discussions on issuing permits for oil and petrochemical exports and mechanisms for releasing frozen Iranian funds, alongside broader financial arrangements tied to sanctions-related measures.

He also indicated that a framework was discussed to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as a key component of the wider regional stability agenda.

During the talks, Iranian officials raised concerns over continued violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon, stressing the need to halt military aggression across all fronts.

Baghaei said developments inside the negotiation rooms reflected both progress and tensions, noting that an American statement during the quadrilateral meeting influenced Iran’s decision not to proceed with further immediate sessions.

The spokesperson added that mediators are expected to issue a consolidated text outlining general points agreed during the 18-hour negotiation round, which will serve as a reference for upcoming stages.

Technical teams are expected to continue work on unresolved issues in preparation for a potential final agreement, as diplomatic engagement remains ongoing despite the pause in formal talks.