Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that the Israeli army will maintain its position in the security zone in southern Lebanon, safeguarding northern Israeli settlements. Katz emphasized that Israeli soldiers in Lebanon have the authority to address threats without limitations. He highlighted the army’s robust response to Hezbollah attacks, leading to the elimination of militants and destruction of terror infrastructure to protect citizens and soldiers.
US and Iranian negotiators commenced discussions in Switzerland to implement a memorandum of understanding. The talks, held at the Buergenstock mountain resort, involved US Vice President JD Vance, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and mediators. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei expressed Iran’s commitment to ensuring US compliance with the memorandum during the meeting in Switzerland, emphasizing the need to fulfill specified conditions for initiating negotiations on a final agreement.
Baghaei clarified that the meeting’s purpose was to follow up on the memorandum’s implementation, stressing the importance of fulfilling conditions such as ending conflicts, lifting naval blockades, and releasing frozen assets for progressing towards a final agreement. He underscored that negotiations for a final agreement between Iran and the United States are contingent on meeting these conditions, particularly the cessation of conflicts on all fronts.
