{"id":650649,"date":"2026-06-21T13:53:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-21T13:53:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/650649\/"},"modified":"2026-06-21T13:53:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-21T13:53:15","slug":"middle-east-live-trump-threatens-iran-after-jd-vance-hails-great-progress-made-in-switzerland-talks-us-israel-war-on-iran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/650649\/","title":{"rendered":"Middle East live: Trump threatens Iran after JD Vance hails \u2018great progress\u2019 made in Switzerland talks | US-Israel war on Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Trump threatens to strike Iran if it does not stop its &#8216;proxies in Lebanon&#8217;<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Donald Trump has just been posting to his social media platform Truth Social with further threats to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/iran\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The US president <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116788337995785578\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">posted<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p>double quotation markIran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don\u2019t, we\u2019ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!! President DONALD J. TRUMP<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">It comes just after US vice-president JD Vance had hailed the \u201cgreat progress\u201d made in the last few hours as he gives update on US-Iran peace talks taking place in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/switzerland\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Switzerland<\/a> today.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Trump was referring to Hezbollah, which joined the Middle East war with attacks on Israel. Clashes in recent days between the two have threatened to derail the US-Iran preliminary peace deal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Israeli strikes on southern <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/lebanon\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lebanon<\/a> on Saturday killed at least 16 people, local authorities said, despite reports of a renewed ceasefire aiming to end the continuing clashes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Lebanon\u2019s civil defence agency said its personnel transported \u201c16 dead and 12 wounded\u201d to hospital, adding that they had been working \u201csince the early morning hours\u201d in the Nabatieh district.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37ea948f083b97ede8d02f#block-6a37ea948f083b97ede8d02f\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a009.52 EDT<\/p>\n<p>Key events<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Pakistan\u2019s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, who has been acting as a key mediator between Washington and Tehran, has thanked the US president, Donald Trump, for his \u201cvisionary and very dynamic leadership which resulted in this meeting here\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cI think here we are going to have wonderful discussions which will lead to, hopefully, very productive results in times to come,\u201d Sharif was quoted as having said.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37e71d8f08c4f67d4d4cb4#block-6a37e71d8f08c4f67d4d4cb4\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">JD Vance said he hoped Washington and Tehran could reset their relationship, at the start of what he called \u201chistoric\u201d face-to-face talks in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/switzerland\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Switzerland<\/a> today.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThis is a historic meeting,\u201d Vance said at the Burgenstock resort, adding that the goal was to \u201cturn over a new leaf to transform our relationship with the people of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/iran\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Iran<\/a>, and to extend an outstretched hand\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37e65c8f08c4f67d4d4cae#block-6a37e65c8f08c4f67d4d4cae\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a>JD Vance says &#8216;great progress&#8217; made in the last few hours as he gives update on US-Iran peace talks<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">US vice-president JD Vance has been giving an update on the latest in the talks between Iran and the US in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/switzerland\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Switzerland<\/a> today and says \u201cgreat progress\u201d has been made.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Vance told reporters that he wanted that while \u201cIran has been a driver of regional instability\u201d he could see a future where everyone \u201ccan work together to promote peace and prosperity\u201d. He said president Donald Trump was committed to see a full regional ceasefire, but admited ceasefires are \u201ca little bit messy\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">He added the technical negotiations may not solve every disagreement but \u201callow us to sit together as teams for the first time in history\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cOutside the last few months, never before have the Iranian and American leadership met at such a high level.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">He added US negotiators are in Switzerland to, \u201cthrough diplomacy, through working together, transform the Middle East, where Iran and the Gulf have been at war with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>JD Vance makes an opening statement next to Pakistan&#8217;s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Qatar&#8217;s prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani at the Lake Lucerne summit in Switzerland.  Photograph: Nathan Howard\/Reuters<a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37de338f087fb1fe06342a#block-6a37de338f087fb1fe06342a\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a009.27 EDT<\/p>\n<p>Four months after the horrific Iran school bombing, fears grow that Trump and Hegseth will bury the truth<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1782049994_995_Andrew_Roth,_L.png\" alt=\"Andrew Roth\" class=\"dcr-lysqes\"\/>Andrew Roth<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">A secretive investigation into the attack that killed at least 175 has concluded, reports suggest. Will its findings ever see the light of day?<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The attack on a girl\u2019s elementary school in the Iranian town of Minab was one of the US military\u2019s deadliest civilian bombings in decades. But nearly four months on, the Pentagon has produced no answers about why the military fired a Tomahawk cruise missile into a school on the first day of the war, killing at least 175 people, mostly children.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Some critics doubt that the Pentagon ever will, or will bury the results under classifications to keep the worst mistakes secret from the public.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">As the US signs a shaky memorandum of understanding on a ceasefire with Iran, the secretive investigation into the attack has also become a test case for the self-styled secretary of war Pete Hegseth\u2019s new approach to what he calls \u201cwarfighting\u201d. As he said in early March, nearly two weeks after the attack, \u201cour rules of engagement are bold, precise and designed to unleash American power, not shackle it\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Shortly after the attack, Donald Trump suggested that it was carried out by Iran. When it became clear that the strike <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/mar\/11\/iran-war-missile-strike-elementary-school\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">used a US-made Tomahawk missile<\/a>, he suggested that Iran also had access to the cruise missiles. It does not.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-school-bombing-minab-fears-trump-hegseth-bury-truth-investigation-findings\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">more:<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37dc098f087fb1fe063417#block-6a37dc098f087fb1fe063417\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a008.43 EDT<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Envoys from regional heavyweights Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt pushed for swift progress in US-Iran talks at a meeting in Cairo on Sunday, as negotiations between the two countries began in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/switzerland\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Switzerland<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In a joint statement, the ministers called for a \u201cswift and successful conclusion\u201d to negotiations aimed at reaching a solution to outstanding issues that is \u201clasting, verifiable and mutually acceptable\u201d, while taking into account regional concerns, particularly the security and stability of Gulf states.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Saudi Arabia, which was hit by Iranian attacks during the conflict, joined mediator Pakistan alongside Turkey and Egypt in facilitating negotiations weeks into the Middle East war.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37dbc58f087fb1fe06340e#block-6a37dbc58f087fb1fe06340e\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">My colleagues Heather Stewart and Philip Inman have done some analysis on how despite the ceasefire and ongoing peace talks, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/iran\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Iran<\/a> conflict is continuing to cast a shadow over the global economy<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">You can read their analysis <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/business\/2026\/jun\/21\/trump-iran-deal-long-shadow-global-economy\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37d9668f08c4f67d4d4c63#block-6a37d9668f08c4f67d4d4c63\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a008.32 EDT<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">A technical fault in air traffic control, triggered by \u2060security measures for peace talks between the US and Iran in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/switzerland\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Switzerland<\/a>, caused \u2060disruptions at Zurich airport \u2060on \u200bSunday, aviation authorities said, adding the problem had been resolved.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The glitch occurred after \u2060the integration of a restricted zone over Buergenstock, the Swiss mountain resort where negotiations are \u2060taking place, into radar display systems, Swiss air traffic control \u200bauthority Skyguide said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The \u200czone was only \u200cdecided at the last minute because the decision to \u200chold the latest round of talks was not finalised until Saturday, according to a statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Operations have since returned to normal, Skyguide said, adding: \u201cThe systems are running smoothly, and security was ensured at all times.\u201c<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">By \u200cmidday, 12 arrivals and 14 departures had been cancelled, an airport spokesperson told Reuters. \u200bAt least 60 departures were delayed, she added. US vice-president JD Vance arrived for peace talks with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/iran\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Iran<\/a> at Buergenstock on Sunday as foreseen in a tentative \u2060peace deal, but the diplomacy was overshadowed by \u200bIran\u2019s announcement \u200bthat it had reimposed its \u200bblockade of the strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37d7438f087fb1fe0633f4#block-6a37d7438f087fb1fe0633f4\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a>Qatari mediator confirms that US-Iran talks have begun<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Mediator for Qatar has confirmed the US-Iran talks in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/switzerland\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Switzerland<\/a> have begun, according to AFP.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The talks between Iran and the US aimed at building out the fragile interim deal to end have been beset by difficulties including an Iranian decision to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jun\/20\/israeli-strikes-southern-lebanon-reports-renewed-ceasefire\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">keep the strait of Hormuz closed<\/a> in protest at Donald Trump\u2019s inability to force Israel to end the fighting in Lebanon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In a statement Qatar\u2019s foreign ministry announced \u201cthe launch of the Lake Lucerne Summit and the first meeting of the high-level committee with the participation of representatives from the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/iran\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Iran<\/a>, and the two mediating states, the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The US vice-president, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/jd-vance\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">JD Vance<\/a>, leading the US delegation, earlier said he was adding Lebanon to an agenda that had originally been conceived to focus on the opening of the strait, the lifting of US sanctions on Iranian oil exports and the unfreezing of Iranian assets held overseas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Iranian delegation is led by the speaker of the parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, but the presence of the deputy oil minister and the governor of Iran\u2019s central bank shows how Iran had wanted to focus on the terms for lifting sanctions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Swiss foreign ministry said the US and Iranian delegations, plus mediators from Pakistan and Qatar, were all present at the luxury resort.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37cf038f08c4f67d4d4c22#block-6a37cf038f08c4f67d4d4c22\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a008.07 EDT<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"JD Vance meets Pakistan delegation before Iran talks in Switzerland \u2013 video\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1782049994_892_4860.jpg\" height=\"259\" width=\"460\" class=\"dcr-1qi2at0\"\/>JD Vance meets Pakistan delegation before Iran talks in Switzerland \u2013 video<a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37caee8f08c4f67d4d4bfb#block-6a37caee8f08c4f67d4d4bfb\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a>Israel will not withdraw from security zone in Lebanon, says defence minister<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">There \u2060was and is \u2018no restriction\u2019 on \u2060Israeli \u2060soldiers \u200bto act to eliminate \u2060threats in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/lebanon\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lebanon<\/a>, and that troops would not withdraw from the security zone, \u200cIsraeli defence minister \u200cIsrael Katz said in a statement on Sunday, according to Reuters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Israeli strikes killed at \u200cleast 20 people in Lebanon \u200bon Saturday, Lebanon\u2019s state news agency NNA reported, \u2060a day after a \u200bceasefire with \u200bIran-backed Hezbollah \u200btook effect \u200bafter \u200cmonths of \u200bescalating \u200bviolence.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37c02a8f083b97ede8cf24#block-6a37c02a8f083b97ede8cf24\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a006.58 EDT<\/p>\n<p>UN nuclear energy chief in Switzerland to &#8216;take stock&#8217; of Iran developments<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Rafael Grossi, the chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, says he has met Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis in Burgenstock \u201cto take stock of recent developments regarding <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/iran\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Iran<\/a>, the path ahead and the important role of the IAEA\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The pair shook hands as teams from Iran and the US met to negotiate in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/switzerland\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Switzerland<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cAt this critical moment, it\u2019s important to give diplomacy every opportunity to succeed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Earlier this month, IAEA\u2019s governing board passed a US-backed resolution demanding Iran provide \u201ccomplete information\u201d on its enriched \u2060uranium stocks and grant access to inspectors to verify them.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37c28c8f083b97ede8cf33#block-6a37c28c8f083b97ede8cf33\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a>Poll finds Israelis believe Iran won war<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Israelis overwhelmingly believe that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/iran\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Iran<\/a> emerged stronger from the Middle East war and its subsequent deal with the United States, a poll released on Sunday found, as reported by AFP. <\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The poll of 3,644 respondents, conducted between 17 June and 20 by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in collaboration with the Agam Institute, paints a stark picture of public sentiment after the US-Iran deal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Of those surveyed, 92.1% said Iran had won or gained more from the conflict, while 82.9% felt that Israel\u2019s long-term security had been weakened.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The survey found that even among voters who support the right-wing bloc, the electoral base of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 93.1% believed Iran had won.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Opposition to the US-Iran agreement was widespread, with 63.2% of respondents opposing it compared with just 12.1% expressing support.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The findings pointed to a broader crisis of confidence in Israel\u2019s leadership.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed, 72.5% , said they did not believe Netanyahu\u2019s claims about the military campaign\u2019s achievements, while 56.4% rated his management of the campaign as \u201cfailed\u201d or \u201cpoor\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The poll also pointed to the political price paid by Netanyahu, with support for his premiership plummeting from 40.5% in early March to 29.4% in June.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Despite this, the survey found ongoing support for military action against Hezbollah in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/lebanon\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lebanon<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Nearly half of respondents, 48.2%, backed renewed major military action against Hezbollah in Lebanon, even if it risked confrontation with Washington, while only 21% opposed such a move.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37aadd8f083b97ede8ce94#block-6a37aadd8f083b97ede8ce94\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a>US-Iran talks in Switzerland to get under way as strait of Hormuz remains closed<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Patrick-Wintour,-R.png\" alt=\"Patrick Wintour\" class=\"dcr-lysqes\"\/>Patrick Wintour<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Talks between Iran and the US aimed at building out the fragile interim deal to end the war are due to get under way in Switzerland, beset by difficulties including an Iranian decision to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jun\/20\/israeli-strikes-southern-lebanon-reports-renewed-ceasefire\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">keep the strait of Hormuz closed<\/a> in protest at Donald Trump\u2019s inability to force Israel to end the fighting in Lebanon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The US vice-president, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/jd-vance\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">JD Vance<\/a>, leading the US delegation, said he was adding Lebanon to the agenda, which had originally been conceived to focus on the opening of the strait, the lifting of US sanctions on Iranian oil exports and the unfreezing of Iranian assets held overseas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Vance arrived at a Qatari-owned Swiss mountainside resort in B\u00fcrgenstock early on Sunday to meet Iranian negotiators for the second time since the months-long conflict began. He has already held direct talks with the Iranians in Islamabad.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Iranian delegation is led by the speaker of the parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, but the presence of the deputy oil minister and the governor of Iran\u2019s central bank shows how Iran had wanted to focus on the terms for lifting sanctions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The first clause of the memorandum of understanding published last week requires a ceasefire on all fronts including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/lebanon\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lebanon<\/a>, where fighting has escalated between Israel and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Full report <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jun\/21\/us-iran-talks-jd-vance-switzerland-strait-of-hormuz-lebanon\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here: <\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37b8038f083b97ede8cef9#block-6a37b8038f083b97ede8cef9\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a>US vice-president JD Vance waits, alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff, to meet Pakistan\u2019s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif for high-level talks aimed at advancing a deal to end the Middle East conflict at the Buergenstock Resort, Lake Lucerne near Stansstad, Switzerland.  Photograph: Getty Images<a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37b5cf8f087fb1fe063313#block-6a37b5cf8f087fb1fe063313\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a006.00 EDT<\/p>\n<p>Iran says not seeking nuclear weapon or relinquishing enrichment rights<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated on Sunday that Tehran was willing to provide assurances that the country was not seeking a nuclear weapon, while insisting that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/iran\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Iran<\/a> would not relinquish its right to enrich uranium, AFP reports.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cWhat the United States demands is that Iran not build an atomic bomb. This is nothing new, and we can also state in writing that we have no intention of building a bomb,\u201d the president\u2019s website quoted him as saying.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cHowever, we will not relinquish our right to enrichment, and the other side will have no choice but to accept this right,\u201d he added, before Iranian and US negotiators were set to meet for talks in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/switzerland\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Switzerland<\/a> later on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37b4258f08c4f67d4d4b65#block-6a37b4258f08c4f67d4d4b65\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a>Iran says Lebanon conflict &#8216;main topic&#8217; in US talksIran\u2019s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf (centre), foreign minister Abbas Araghchi (right) listen to Abolfazl Amouei, international affairs assistant of Qalibaf, on their flight to Switzerland to attend their talks with the US delegation.  Photograph: Hamed Malekpour\/Islamic Consultative Assembly News Agency, ICANA\/AP<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Iran said on Sunday that the ongoing conflict in Lebanon between Israel and militant group Hezbollah will top the agenda in talks with the US in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/switzerland\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Switzerland<\/a>, as well as issues such as frozen Iranian funds and the sale of the country\u2019s oil.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThe Zionist regime continues to violate its commitment in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/lebanon\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lebanon<\/a>, this issue will be the main topic of discussion in today\u2019s talks,\u201d foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said in a video shared by IRNA state news agency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Tehran said on Thursday it had signed a deal with Washington to end months of hostilities that began on 28 February following US-Israeli attacks on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/iran\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Under the agreement, the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon was also due to stop.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday killed at least 16 people, local authorities said, despite reports of a renewed ceasefire aiming to end the continuing clashes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Lebanon\u2019s civil defence agency said its personnel transported \u201c16 dead and 12 wounded\u201d to hospital, adding that they had been working \u201csince the early morning hours\u201d in the Nabatieh district.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37adc08f083b97ede8cea6#block-6a37adc08f083b97ede8cea6\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a006.41 EDT<\/p>\n<p>Iran says it is closing strait of Hormuz over Israeli strikes in Lebanon<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Iran has said it is closing the strait of Hormuz after waves of Israeli strikes in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/lebanon\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lebanon<\/a> in a move that threatens to derail the fragile interim peace deal with the US, signed just days ago.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned ships not to approach the strategic waterway, which before the war carried a fifth of global oil and liquid gas supplies, citing what it called Israeli crimes in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/lebanon\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lebanon<\/a> and a US violation of commitments to establish a ceasefire there.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">It was unclear if the threat had been carried out, or if it would jeopardise talks in Switzerland scheduled for Sunday that were supposed to start the process of turning the current interim agreement between the US and Iran <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jun\/18\/iran-peace-deal-us-trump\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">signed this week<\/a> into a more detailed deal covering Iran\u2019s nuclear programme.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Donald Trump promptly declared that \u201cNO TOLLS\u201d would be charged on ships seeking to pass through the strait during or after the \u206060-day interim ceasefire. In a social media post on Saturday, however, he raised the prospect of the US imposing a toll should negotiations fail.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a37aac48f083b97ede8ce93#block-6a37aac48f083b97ede8ce93\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a>US-Iran talks to begin in Switzerland<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Hello and welcome to our coverage of the latest in the Middle East and updates on the on going peace talks between the US and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/iran\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Iran&#8217;s minister of foreign affairs Seyyed Abbas Araghchi arrives at the Burgenstock resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne on Sunday. Photograph: Urs Fl\u00fceler\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Here are the latest developments:<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">On Sunday delegations for the US and Iran delegations have arrived at Swiss resort for talks. Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar will also be in attendance according to the Swiss foreign ministry. Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding earlier in June.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">This follows news that Iran has said it has closed the strait of Hormuz over continued strikes from Israel in Lebanon. On Sunday Iran\u2019s Fars news agency agency cited a military source \u2060as \u2060saying that the strait \u2060of Hormuz remains closed and the Revolutionary \u2060Guards navy has \u200bnot \u200cissued permission for \u200cany vessels to \u200ctransit until further notice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Israeli strikes on southern <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/lebanon\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lebanon<\/a> on Saturday killed at least 16 people, local authorities said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">US vice-president JD Vance arrived at the Swiss mountainside resort of Burgenstock early on Sunday to meet Iranian negotiators for the second time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">US Central Command says \u206055 merchant ships transited strait on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Read our latest report <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jun\/20\/israeli-strikes-southern-lebanon-reports-renewed-ceasefire\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Iran has said it is closing the strait of Hormuz after waves of Israeli strikes in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/lebanon\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Lebanon<\/a> in a move that threatens to derail the fragile interim peace deal with the US, signed just days ago.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned ships not to approach the strategic waterway, which before the war carried a fifth of global oil and liquid gas supplies, citing what it called Israeli crimes in Lebanon and a US violation of commitments to establish a ceasefire there.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">It was unclear if the threat had been carried out, or if it would jeopardise talks in Switzerland scheduled for Sunday that were supposed to start the process of turning the current interim agreement between the US and Iran <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jun\/18\/iran-peace-deal-us-trump\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">signed this week<\/a> into a more detailed deal covering Iran\u2019s nuclear programme.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Middle East live: US-Iran peace talks underway as strait of Hormuz remains closed &amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jun\/21\/iran-us-israel-war-middle-east-lebanon-peace-talks-switzerland-vance-trump-strait-of-hormuz-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6a379d6f8f083b97ede8ce61#block-6a379d6f8f083b97ede8ce61\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a005.27 EDT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Trump threatens to strike Iran if it does not stop its &#8216;proxies in Lebanon&#8217; Donald Trump has just&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":650650,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[49,50,51,47,52,48],"class_list":["post-650649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-headlines","tag-news","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/650649","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=650649"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/650649\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/650650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=650649"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=650649"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=650649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}