US President Donald Trump on Sunday issued fresh threats against Iran and said Washington will resume attacks on Tehran unless the Islamic Republic keep their Hezbollah allies in Lebanon from causing violence in Israel. It was reportedly the first warning issued by Trump after the two nations signed an MoU to cease hostilities in the region.
Diplomatic progress at the Bürgenstock Resort
This comes just after US Vice President JD Vance reached Switzerland to hold talks with the Iranian delegation and hailed the “great progress” made in the last few hours as he gave updates on US-Iran peace talks taking place in Bürgenstock Resort in Obbuergen.
Direct ultimatum to Tehran’s proxies
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder.”
Trump, in a call with Fox News on Sunday, suggested America might “take over” Strait of Hormuz if an agreement is not finalised with Iran during talks in Switzerland. “You close it (the Strait of Hormuz) and you won’t have a country. You won’t even make it back to your f**king country,” the US President said.
Unprecedented high-level technical negotiations
Meanwhile, ahead of high stakes talks, Vance told reporters in Switzerland on Sunday that America was willing to “fundementally transform” its relations with Iran, adding, “Never before has the Iranian and American leadership met at such a high level.”
He added that talks in Bürgenstock Resort are the beginning of technical negotiations.
Regional strains and the Beirut offensive
While warning to launch strikes in Tehran, Trump was referring to Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah which joined the war in West Asia with attacks on Israel.
Clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in recent days and Tel Aviv’s continued strikes in Beirut have threatened to derail the US-Iran initial peace deal.
Strategic US efforts for regional stability
Addressing the reporters in Obbuergen, Vance read out Trump’s message that US is “committed to see a full ceasefire in the region,” adding that he “feel(s) great” about “where we are in Lebanon.” When asked abou Israel’s continued offensive in Lebanon, Vance responded America has done “more to stop the conflict in Lebanon than any government anywhere in the world over the last few months.
At the strategic peace talks in Switzerland, Vance said: “But the president of the United States is committed, not just to peace between the United United States and Iran – the president is committed to a regional peace, which is why we’re here working so hard to settle our issues.”
Iran’s state media on Saturday had reported that Tehran’s military will close the Strait of Hormuz after Israeli military’s alleged violations of ceasefire in Lebanon, and the US “failing to implement” the first clause of the memorandum of understanding signed to end the war in the region.
President Donald Trump answers reporter questions with Vice President JD Vance during a meeting with oil executives in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo) 
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