Tehran appears to exploit Lebanon front while Washington struggles to finalize fragile nuclear roadmap.
The White House cancelled Vice President JD Vance’s scheduled Thursday night flight to Switzerland, where he had been expected to attend the formal finalization of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding.
An administration official said the delay was caused by unresolved operational details surrounding the next stage of bilateral diplomacy.
A White House spokesperson said the plans for upcoming technical talks had not been finalized, adding that the US delegation remains prepared to depart when arrangements are complete.
The spokesperson stressed that the logistics of the negotiations have been complicated and unpredictable, and that Vance would not depart until there is a concrete update on the next step.
Before the postponement, Vance had said he was planning to travel to Europe for an in-person signing event and expected to lead the American diplomatic team when technical negotiations begin.
The delay came after Hezbollah-linked Lebanese outlet Al-Mayadeen reported that Iran had frozen its own delegation’s departure for Switzerland.
According to the report, Tehran halted the trip because of ongoing Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon, signaling that Lebanon’s security remains a central condition for Iran’s participation in the broader agreement.
A senior US official reportedly assessed that Iran’s claims may be the reason the Switzerland talks will not take place Friday. The setback highlights a growing danger for Israel and America: Tehran may use diplomacy to protect Hezbollah, restrict Israeli defense operations and extract concessions before committing to any nuclear framework.
