Tehran claims closure of the Strait of Hormuz/US-Iran talks take place in Switzerland

2026-06-21 07:37:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Tehran claims closure of the Strait of Hormuz/US-Iran talks take place in

Direct talks between the United States and Iran are expected to begin today in Switzerland, while tensions in the Middle East remain high after Iran's claims that it has closed the Strait of Hormuz again.

The Iranian military said the closure of the strait was in response to Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, which Tehran said violated a recent agreement between the United States and Iran to end the war. However, the US military disputed this claim, saying that maritime traffic continues normally and that Iran does not control the strait.

An American delegation led by JD Vance has arrived in Switzerland, while the Iranian delegation includes Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

The negotiations will also be attended by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir. Pakistan has played a mediating role during the conflict and has previously hosted rounds of talks between the US and Iran.

Before leaving for Switzerland, Vance said he hopes to achieve progress on the nuclear issue and in implementing the ceasefire in Lebanon. He stressed that the main goal remains ensuring security for Israel and Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the situation in Lebanon remains tense. Lebanon's Health Ministry reported that at least 47 people were killed on Saturday in Israeli airstrikes. The Israeli military, meanwhile, said it had struck 80 targets linked to Hezbollah and killed dozens of the group's fighters.

Despite a ceasefire announced on Friday between Israel and Hezbollah, exchanges of fire have continued. Hezbollah has accused Israel of trying to sabotage the broader agreement between the US and Iran.

Another point of tension remains the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important energy transport routes. According to American data, about 20 million barrels of oil and petroleum products pass through it every day, with an annual value of about $600 billion.

While Iran claims to have closed the strait again, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that 55 commercial ships passed through it on Saturday, transporting more than 17 million barrels of oil to global markets. /CNA