Talks between the US and Iran to end the conflict in the Middle East have begun in Oberbuerg, Switzerland, in the Burgenstock resort on Lake Lucerne.

US Vice President J.D. Vance expressed optimism: "Never before have the Iranian and US leadership met at such a high level. We have made great progress in the last few hours, and I expect we will make more in the coming hours ."

Vance also said that Trump asked him to "turn the page" and "transform our relationship with the Iranian people," stressing that the United States "stands ready to fundamentally transform relations" with Iran, "if its leadership is willing to renounce its role as a factor of regional instability and abandon its nuclear ambitions."

The meeting, however, began with a formal snub . The US delegation and the organizers had planned a handshake and a group photo between the US and Iranian delegations at the beginning of the meeting. But the head of Tehran's negotiating team and members of the delegation itself objected , the Iranian news agency Tasnim reported, adding that "due to Iranian opposition and its absence from the ceremony, the livestream and group photo were held without the Iranian delegation, which then entered the meeting venue."

Meanwhile, from the United States, Donald Trump is using his usual strategy: threats, raising the stakes, to force his rival to relent. This strategy hasn't worked so far in Iran.

"I spoke to the Iranians last night," the tycoon told Fox, "warning them that if they close the Strait of Hormuz, they will no longer have a country." "You won't even be able to go back to your fucking country," he said, relaying his message to the leadership in Tehran.

"If we don't reach an agreement," he added, "we will collect the tolls in Hormuz. We could take control of the Strait if necessary, become the 'Guardian Angels' and take 20% of the oil ."

Meanwhile, Tehran has clarified that Hormuz is currently closed and will not be reopened until the ceasefire in Lebanon is respected . Furthermore, the waterway will remain closed until the waivers that would allow the sale of Iranian oil are granted.

Another warning from Trump on Lebanon: "Iran must immediately stop its well-paid proxies in Lebanon from causing trouble. Otherwise, we will hit Iran very hard again. Like last week, but even harder."

Finally, the emphasis: at the end of the 60-day ceasefire "I can do whatever I want, so the Iranian president must continue otherwise we will take his country" .

(Unioneonline/L)

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