Dubai, UAE — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that technical talks between the United States and Iran are expected to resume in Switzerland on June 29 or 30, as negotiators move to flesh out the details of an agreement that ended months of conflict between the two countries.
“The technical group will be back, I believe, on the 29 or the 30 … I believe they’re going back to Switzerland, if I’m not mistaken,” Rubio told reporters during a tour of Gulf Arab states.
The comments provide the first public indication of when negotiators could reconvene after the United States and Iran reached a framework agreement aimed at ending the war that erupted earlier this year and restoring stability to the Gulf region.
Rubio, who has been meeting leaders across the Gulf, sought to reassure U.S. partners that Washington would closely coordinate with them as negotiations proceed.
“We’re going to be completely aligned with our partners in the Gulf,” Rubio said, adding that the United States would consult regional allies on decisions related to the talks.
The secretary of state also reiterated Washington’s opposition to any charges on vessels using the Strait of Hormuz, saying he was unaware of any country that supported imposing fees on transit through the strategic waterway.
His remarks come a day after Pakistan, which is mediating between Washington and Tehran, said technical talks were expected to resume next week, with Tuesday seen as the most likely date for the next round of discussions.
The negotiations are expected to focus on implementation of the broader agreement, including sanctions relief, oversight of Iranian assets and maritime security arrangements in the Gulf.
The talks are taking place alongside separate regional diplomatic efforts, including discussions among Gulf Arab states on future security arrangements and administration of the Strait of Hormuz following the conflict.
Oil markets have responded positively to the easing tensions, with prices approaching pre-war levels amid easing concerns about global supplies. Brent crude futures for August delivery fell by 40 cents, or 0.54%, to US$73.34 per barrel by 0004 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude dropped 27 cents, or 0.38%, to US$70.07 per barrel.
Both benchmarks recorded sharp losses yesterday, Wednesday, with Brent crude falling by more than three dollars per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude declined by about three dollars at settlement, as supply concerns subsided.
Natural gas demand will start returning during the third quarter as the U.S. and Israel war with Iran comes to an end, Gas Exporting Countries Forum Secretary General Philip Mshelbila said at the Reuters Global Energy Forum in New York.
The GECF official said that China will continue growing its LNG demand even though it has other options, including domestic energy production.
