US, Iran Agree on Hormuz Shipping Hotline in Swiss Talks; China Sees Progress in Follow-Up Meetings

China voiced hope for positive progress after high-level talks between the US and Iran in Switzerland. With the two sides agreeing to ensure commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and adopting a roadmap toward a final deal, Beijing is also watching the role of mediators and the next phase of negotiations.

Guo Jiakun, a spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, told a regular briefing on June 22 that mediation efforts by Pakistan and Qatar had helped Iran and the US maintain momentum in the talks. He added that China hopes both sides will work together to make positive progress in follow-up meetings.

Qatar and Pakistan, which are mediating the US-Iran negotiations, said in a joint statement that the first round of high-level talks had ended, according to Reuters and other media reports. The two sides also agreed on a roadmap to reach a final agreement within 60 days.

Working-level and technical talks will continue this week at the Burgenstock resort near Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, where the high-level meeting was held on June 21.

The US and Iran also agreed to establish a high-level committee to oversee the broader negotiations. Working groups will also be launched to address the nuclear issue, sanctions relief and dispute-resolution procedures.

A separate mechanism will also be set up to manage the Lebanon issue. Together with the Lebanese government and the mediating countries, the two sides agreed to create a deconfliction body to verify implementation of a halt to military operations in Lebanon.

The two sides also opened a communication channel for the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels. The agreement is one of the most sensitive elements of the talks because renewed instability in the waterway, a critical route for global energy shipments, could increase volatility in oil prices and financial markets.

Lebanon remains the most urgent issue in the negotiations. Iran has argued that as long as Israel continues its attacks in Lebanon, the US is failing to properly implement the ceasefire agreement. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said the first test of the deal will be whether the Lebanon mechanism can actually stop the fighting.

The Strait of Hormuz is another variable that could disrupt the broader negotiations. Iran threatened on June 20 to reblock the strait, citing Israel’s attacks in Lebanon. President Donald Trump warned that the US could launch another attack if Iran closes the waterway. The Swiss talks at one point reportedly came close to collapse.

The central issues in the final negotiations are Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief. The US is poised to seek reductions in Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium and limits on its future enrichment rights. Iran, by contrast, says existing commitments — including oil export waivers and the release of frozen funds — must be carried out first before detailed nuclear talks begin.

Kim Dae-young, Hankyung.com reporter kdy@hankyung.com