Negotiators from the United States and Iran ⁠were set ⁠to start peace talks in Switzerland on Sunday, even as U.S. ⁠officials disputed Iranian claims about closing the key Strait of Hormuz. A high-level Iranian team arrived in Switzerland for peace talks with the U.

Talks planned for Friday in Switzerland between Iran and the United States, which Vice President JD Vance had been scheduled to attend, were postponed as the fighting intensified in southern Lebanon,

Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz again, citing Israeli attacks in Lebanon and U.S. "bad faith" in their interim agreement on the war. Iran's negotiators are heading to Switzerland for talks that mediator Pakistan says will begin Sunday,

Vice President JD Vance departed for Switzerland Saturday to begin direct long-term peace negotiations with Iran. His trip comes as shipping in the Strait of Hormuz faced new disruptions after Iran said it was closing the waterway.

The next phase of talks to end the war in Iran is expected to begin on Sunday amid fighting in Lebanon and renewed confusion over the Strait of Hormuz.

Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed at least 20 people on Saturday, Lebanon's state news agency said, one day after a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect, underscoring the fragility of a truce aimed at halting months of escalating violence.

Lebanese state media say the latest Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon killed at least seven people, including two children, hours after reports emerged of a ceasefire agreement

Iran said Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz would be closed after the country accused the U.S. and Israel of violating the memorandum of understanding. U.S. Central Command, however, said the strait remained open to commercial traffic.