Dubai, UAE — Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz would be administered by Tehran following negotiations with the United States in Switzerland, as the two sides continued efforts to convert a temporary pause in hostilities into a broader regional peace framework.
“The Strait of Hormuz will never return to its pre-war conditions and will be administered by the Islamic Republic of Iran, in accordance with international law,” Ghalibaf said after returning from the talks, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
The remarks came a day after high-level U.S.-Iran negotiations in Switzerland concluded with what mediators described as encouraging progress on regional security issues, including arrangements aimed at preventing renewed conflict in Lebanon and maintaining security in the strategic waterway through which a significant share of global oil exports passes.
In a video posted on his Telegram account, Ghalibaf said the talks had produced “good achievements”.
“In my view, this trip had good achievements, especially regarding the discussion of the Strait, the Lebanon discussions, the question of oil waiver, and the matter of releasing the frozen funds,” he said.
Security mechanisms agreed
Qatar and Pakistan, which mediated the negotiations at a Swiss lakeside resort, said Washington and Tehran had agreed to establish a “de-confliction cell” intended to help ensure military operations cease in Lebanon, where fighting involving the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement has continued for months.
The mediators also announced the creation of a direct communication channel designed to reduce the risk of misunderstandings and escalation around the Strait of Hormuz.
The talks began on Sunday and ended shortly after 3 a.m. local time on Monday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the outcome as “major progress” toward ending the conflict in Lebanon but cautioned that the effectiveness of the new de-confliction mechanism would be the first major test of the diplomatic process.
“The first real test: Lebanon deconfliction cell,” Araghchi wrote on social media.
Lebanon central to negotiations
According to Iranian state media, Tehran’s delegation made progress in Lebanon a central focus of the discussions, arguing that any broader regional settlement would require movement toward ending hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
Iranian negotiators reportedly devoted much of the talks to Lebanon, while substantive discussions on Tehran’s nuclear programme were largely postponed.
Officials involved in the negotiations said preserving freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and strengthening mechanisms to uphold the Lebanon ceasefire framework were among the key agenda items.
It remained unclear whether additional meetings between U.S. and Iranian officials would take place in Switzerland in the coming days.
Sanctions and nuclear issues unresolved
The Swiss negotiations also included discussions on sanctions relief, particularly measures affecting Iran’s oil industry.
Hamid Bovard, head of Iran’s national oil company, said participants discussed the removal of restrictions affecting Iran’s energy sector and related industries.
The United States on Monday temporarily eased sanctions on Iranian oil after Vice President JD Vance said Tehran had agreed to allow United Nations nuclear inspectors back into the country.
However, Iranian media reported that detailed negotiations on the future of Iran’s nuclear programme did not take place during the first round of talks, leaving one of the most contentious issues between the two countries unresolved.
The negotiations took place against the backdrop of sharp rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump, who indicated that Washington could adopt a tougher stance once the current 60-day pause in hostilities expires.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump warned Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that he had “better watch his mouth” and said he could do “whatever I want” after the pause ends.
Ghalibaf responded on social media by warning Washington against threats and saying Iran’s armed forces were prepared to react if necessary.
“No matter how much they talk, it is we who act,” he wrote.
The Swiss meeting marked the first formal round of negotiations in a diplomatic effort aimed at transforming the temporary U.S.-Iran understanding into a broader and more durable regional peace agreement.
