West Asia war updates: Vance says talks with Iranian officials set 'good foundation' for a deal to end the war

The Pentagon has told senators it needs roughly $80 billion, mostly to cover the cost of the U.S. war against Iran, adding to what is already a sizable military spending boost being sought by President Donald Trump. The White House Office of Management and Budget has yet to make a formal request to Congress. But Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been making the rounds on Capitol Hill, including Monday evening. A top deputy defense secretary told senators about the Iran funding request last week, according to two people familiar with the situation but not authorized to discuss it publicly.

The United States suspended sanctions on Iranian oil on Monday after Vice President JD Vance said Iran would allow UN nuclear inspectors to return to the country. “We laid a very good foundation for a successful final deal,” Vance told reporters following talks at Switzerland’s luxury Burgenstock resort aimed at ending the US-Israeli war with Iran. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said for his part that “a very brief discussion took place regarding the nuclear issue, but there was no discussion of details.” In Washington, President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz, the critical channel for much of the world’s oil, is now “totally open” to shipping. Iran closed the waterway early in the war, sending economic shock waves across the globe.

Crude prices fell Monday after the U.S. said it is temporarily lifting sanctions on Iran to allow it to export oil, while the Nasdaq retreated on concerns after AI investments by SpaceX and other tech giants. US Vice President JD Vance said a “very good foundation” had been laid for negotiations towards a final deal with Iran, with mediators also claiming progress. Last week, Tehran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) laying the groundwork for the negotiations, after a 40-day war that was followed by weeks of an inconclusive and oft-breached ceasefire.

Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Baqer ‌Qalibaf said that Tehran ⁠has agreed to have a communication ‌line regarding ship passage ‌in ‌the ⁠strait of Hormuz ⁠to avoid conflict and incidents in the ‌strategic waterway. In comments given to state TV on ‌his way back from talks with U.S. ⁠in Switzerland on Sunday, ‌the Iranian negotiator added that the signing for the release ‌of $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets has been ⁠finalised in the ⁠talks.

U.S. President ‌Donald Trump said on ⁠Monday “I will do what ‌I have ‌to ‌do” ⁠if Iran ⁠does not stick to its agreement ‌with Washington. “If Iran doesn’t live ‌up to their agreement, or ⁠if they’re not behaving, ‌I will do what I have ‌to do,” Trump told reporters.

The U.S. Treasury has issued a 60-day license waiving sanctions on Iranian oil as part of the interim agreement to end the war. The license authorises the production, delivery and sale of Iranian oil. It will last through August 21. The license emerged Monday (June 22) as U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said his lengthy talks with senior Iranian officials in Switzerland created a “good foundation for a successful final deal.” Negotiators are seeking a permanent end to the war that the U.S. and Israel began in late February.

Vice President J.D. Vance on Monday (June 22) said his lengthy talks with senior Iranian officials in Switzerland created a “good foundation for a successful final deal” as they seek a permanent end to the war that the U.S. and Israel began in late February. “The final deal is the house,” Mr. Vance told reporters after initial talks with Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf. “We set the foundation. We haven’t built the house, but we’ve laid a successful foundation to get to a good place for the American people.” Iran noted “major progress” to end the fighting in Lebanon and called it the first real test of the negotiations. The mediation effort in Switzerland, which started Sunday and stretched into early Monday (June 22), had rocky moments. But the talks also led to some agreements, mediators said, as technical talks continue this week.

U.S. Treasury issues a 60-day license waiving sanctions on Iranian oil as part of the interim agreement to end the war.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun spoke with senior U.S. and Qatari officials on Monday (June 22) about consolidating a ceasefire in Lebanon and forming a “de-confliction cell”, his office said, after U.S.-Iran negotiations in Switzerland. Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which drew Lebanon into the West Asia war on March 2 with rocket fire at Israel in support of its backer Iran, has repeatedly threatened to derail regional peace efforts. After a first round of talks in Switzerland on ending the regional conflict, mediators Pakistan and Qatar said on Monday (June 22) that Tehran and Washington had agreed to set up a “de-confliction cell” with Lebanon to ensure adherence to the termination of military operations there.

Top Indian and Iranian security officials met in New Delhi on Monday (June 22), the Foreign Ministry said, as security chiefs gathered for a BRICS meeting that also included China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Iranian official Ghadir Nezamipour, a senior member of Tehran’s Supreme National Security Council, and discussed the “ongoing situation” in West Asia, as well as India-Iran ties, the Foreign Ministry said. India has long maintained cordial ties with Iran but has had to carefully balance its relationship with the United States, especially during the recent weeks of conflict in West Asia.

If Iranian funds are ever unfrozen under a deal to end the West Asia war, Washington can make sure that the money does not finance terrorism, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance insisted Monday (June 22). “If we ever unfreeze Iranian assets, we can ensure that. Iranian money goes to help the people of Iran and not to fund terrorism,” Mr. Vance told reporters at Switzerland’s Burgenstock resort, where a first round of talks between Tehran and Washington concluded early Monday (June 22). The talks were the first stage of a two-month negotiating period set out under a preliminary deal agreed last week, aimed at drawing a line under the war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28.

Tehran has agreed to invite International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors back into the country, US Vice President J.D. Vance said Monday (June 22), after a first round of US-Iran talks towards ending the West Asia war. “The Iranians have agreed to invite IAEA inspectors back into their country,” Mr. Vance told reporters at Switzerland’s Burgenstock resort, where his talks with Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf opened on Sunday (June 21). “That is a major milestone for the American people and the first step in permanently denuclearising or permanently ending a nuclear weapons program in Iran,” he said.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun spoke with senior U.S. and Qatari officials about consolidating a ceasefire in Lebanon and forming a “de-confliction cell”, his office said, after U.S.-Iran negotiations in Switzerland. Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which drew Lebanon into the West Asia war on March 2 with rocket fire at Israel in support of its backer Iran, has repeatedly threatened to derail regional peace efforts. After a first round of talks in Switzerland on ending the regional conflict, mediators Pakistan and Qatar said that Tehran and Washington had agreed to set up a “de-confliction cell” with Lebanon “to ensure the adherence of the termination of military operations” there.

Iran’s senior envoys left talks in Switzerland after a marathon negotiating session with the United States, state media reported, as mediators claimed progress towards a definitive U.S.-Iran deal. The host nation said conditions were set for technical talks to immediately follow, with the sides at the beginning of 60 days to secure a long-term settlement. Last week, Tehran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding laying the groundwork for the negotiations, after a 40-day war that was followed by weeks of an inconclusive and oft-breached ceasefire.

Four liquefied natural gas tankers controlled by Qatar were heading into the Strait of Hormuz on Monday (June 22, 2026), despite a fall in ship traffic ⁠after Iran announced that it had again closed the waterway over the weekend, shipping data showed. Read more

The dust has barely settled in Tyre after weeks of Israeli airstrikes on the ancient city along Lebanon‘s Mediterranean coast. Despite the relative calm, life remains largely at a standstill. A new ceasefire between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group is in effect. But previous ceasefires have broken down. Uncertainty and fear linger, even as the U.S. and Iran meet for talks in Switzerland that Lebanese residents hope will bring calm to their troubled country.

Iran and the United States agreed to set up communications lines to keep the vital Strait of Hormuz open and end fighting in Lebanon, mediators said, after their first round of talks in Switzerland toward ending the war in the West Asia. The teams led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf opened talks Sunday (June 21, 2026), as part of a two-month negotiating period set out under a preliminary deal agreed last week. Mediators Pakistan and Qatar said the negotiators reached an agreement on a “roadmap towards reaching a final deal within 60 days”, with technical talks to continue for the rest of the week at the Swiss resort of Burgenstock.

Negotiators from the U.S. and Iran were set to engage in a second day of talks to solidify a permanent end to the war between the countries, after a first day of mediation began with a rocky start. Mediators Qatar and Pakistan hailed what they called “encouraging progress” made during the talks. A senior U.S. diplomat claimed progress on multiple fronts, including the establishment of “mechanisms” to ensure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy shipments, remains open and that a ceasefire in southern Lebanon holds.

Technical talks between Iran and the United States will continue this week in Switzerland, following the conclusion of first-round negotiations to end the West Asia conflict, mediators Pakistan and Qatar said on Monday (June 22, 2026). "Technical talks will continue for the remainder of the week at the Burgenstock resort on all issues," Pakistan and Qatar said in a joint statement. -- AFP

Mediators say high-level Iran-US negotiations over in Switzerland; technical talks to go on to reach final Iran war deal. -- AP U.S. and Iran conclude tense talks in Switzerland, agreeing on a roadmap for peace and cooperation within 60 days.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday (June 22, 2026) there was "major progress" in talks with the United States. "Pakistani and Qatari mediation has delivered major progress to end Lebanon War," Mr. Araghchi posted on X. "Oil and petrochem exports are waived, blockade lifted, some frozen assets released, and major reconstruction & development plan launched for Iran." -- AFP

U.S. President Donald Trump continued to threaten Iran on Sunday (June 21, 2026) even as talks began in Switzerland between his vice president and Iranian officials on next steps in the interim agreement signed last week to end the war. The U.S. team is led by Vice President J.D. Vance and includes Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. The Iranian negotiators are led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Pakistan and Qatar are mediators. Trump's threats disrupt U.S.-Iran negotiations in Switzerland as talks focus on nuclear issues and regional conflicts.

Iran and the United States have agreed to set up a "de-confliction cell" with Lebanon to stop military operations, mediators Pakistan and Qatar said in a joint statement on Monday (June 22, 2026). "The parties agreed on the creation of a de-confliction cell, between the parties, the Lebanese Republic and facilitated by the Mediators, to ensure the adherence of the termination of military operations in Lebanon," the joint statement read. -- AFP

Iran and the United States agreed on a roadmap towards reaching a final deal to end the war within 60 days, mediators Pakistan and Qatar said in a joint statement on Monday (June 22, 2026). "The High Level Committee has agreed upon a roadmap towards reaching a final deal within 60 days, laying the foundation for the immediate commencement of further technical talks," the joint statement read. -- AFP