LUCERNE, Switzerland: The United States and Iran have agreed to establish a direct communication line aimed at preventing incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring the safe passage of commercial vessels, mediators Pakistan and Qatar announced on Monday following the conclusion of first-round negotiations in Switzerland.
“A communication line between the parties has been formed… to avoid incidents and miscommunication with the aim of safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz,” Pakistan and Qatar said in a joint statement issued after the Lake Lucerne Summit.
The agreement marks one of the most significant outcomes of the first round of talks between Washington and Tehran under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, which seeks to end months of conflict that have destabilised the Middle East and disrupted global trade and energy markets.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which a substantial portion of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas exports passes, has been at the centre of regional tensions throughout the conflict.
Repeated threats to shipping and fears of disruption have fuelled volatility in international energy markets.
The communication mechanism is designed to reduce the risk of misunderstandings and unintended escalation in one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
The first round of negotiations concluded at the Burgenstock resort overlooking Lake Lucerne, bringing together representatives of the United States, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar.
In their joint statement, the mediators described the talks as having taken place in a “positive and constructive atmosphere” and said “encouraging progress” had been achieved.
Among the key outcomes was an agreement on a 60-day roadmap towards a final settlement. The parties also agreed to establish a High-Level Committee to oversee the negotiations and specialised working groups focusing on nuclear issues, sanctions, monitoring mechanisms and dispute resolution.
Pakistan and Qatar said technical talks would continue at the Burgenstock resort throughout the week as negotiators work to translate the political understandings reached during the summit into detailed agreements.
Vice President JD Vance leads the US delegation and includes Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, while Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi head Iran’s negotiating team.
