Live: Iran warns unauthorised crossings in Hormuz Strait are 'dangerous'

Talks between Iran and the United States in Switzerland have been paused, but have not been terminated, an Iranian source told Reuters.

Hussein Gurbanzadeh, ‌a member of Iran’s team negotiating with the ⁠US, told state television that the issue of our frozen assets and the arrangements for their release has been discussed in today’s negotiations.

He added that discussions had focused on sanctions relief tied to Iran’s energy sector.

“In Switzerland, we discussed the temporary exemption from sanctions on oil and its derivatives, and the final draft of a proposal on this matter has been completed,” he said.

A draft has been finalised regarding sanctions waivers for Iranian oil, a member of Iran's team negotiating with the US told state media on Sunday.

They added that the waivers would be issued soon.

Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Sunday warned the United States against making threats at the Islamic republic, vowing that "our armed forces are ready to respond".

"Don't they think that if their threats had any effect, they would not have reached today's state of desperation? We do not take American threats into account," said Ghalibaf, after President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran over its support for Hezbollah.

"They would do better to be careful with their statements; our armed forces are ready to respond to them in a different manner. No matter what they say, we are the ones who act."

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Sunday rejected any Israeli security zone in Lebanon, after Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed his troops would remain in the country's south for as long as necessary.

Israeli troops "remaining on Lebanese land is impossible. There are no security zones for Israel... we have a national army which deploys, and it is responsible for preserving sovereignty, and it is who we cooperate with," Qassem said in a televised address, adding that "Israel is an aggressor and must leave."

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said on Sunday that Israel will not stay in Lebanon, adding that the group would respond to any violation from the Israeli side.

His statements came as Israeli officials say that troops are free to act without restriction to eliminate threats in Lebanon, despite an agreed ceasefire that took effect on Friday.

US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that President Donald Trump had asked him to turn over "a new leaf" in American ties with the Iranian people.

But at the same time as the talks were occurring, Trump threatened to continue bombing Iran if it did not contain Hezbollah.

Vance arrived at the Burgenstock mountain resort in Switzerland on Sunday morning to join Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for technical talks with Iranian officials following last week's signing of a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran.

"This is a historic meeting," Vance said, adding that the goal was to "turn over a new leaf to transform our relationship with the people of Iran, and to extend an outstretched hand".

"The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together? Can we turn over a new leaf? Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently?

Read more: US hopes to turn over 'new leaf' with Iran, but Trump threatens to resume bombing

Iranian state television reported on Sunday that US-Iran talks in Switzerland, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, had been paused, adding that Tehran's nuclear programme had not been discussed.

"No negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear programme took place during the 80-minute first round of talks," the broadcaster said, adding that discussions focused on implementing the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, as well as the situation in Lebanon.

The first round of Iran-US talks in Switzerland has concluded, according to Reuters.

The talks in the mountain resort of Buergenstock were the first to be held under the terms of a memorandum of understanding agreed a week ago.

At least 4,106 have been killed and 12,153 wounded since 2 March, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health.

Among those killed were 383 women, 251 children, and 135 medical workers.

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the US would resume attacks on Iran unless Tehran can keep its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon from carrying out attacks. 

"Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!"

US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that President Donald Trump wanted to "turn over a new leaf" in US-Iran relations, describing technical talks in Switzerland as an opportunity for both sides to resolve outstanding issues.

"This is a historic meeting," Vance said at the Burgenstock resort, adding that the goal was to "turn over a new leaf to transform our relationship with the people of Iran, and to extend an outstretched hand".

When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initiated the US-Israeli war on Iran at the end of February, Israel's objectives appeared clear: dismantling Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and bringing about the collapse of the Iranian government.

Now, following the signing of an agreement between Iran and the US, with negotiations between the two countries continuing in Switzerland, a new poll has found that 92 percent of Israelis believe Iran has won the war.

The survey, conducted by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, found that Israelis overwhelmingly view the war and subsequent deal with the US in a negative way, with 83 percent of those polled saying the campaign has weakened Israel's long-term security and 86 percent feeling negatively about the outcome.

This public perception mirrors the feelings of Israel's political and military elite, many of whom see the end of the war on Iran as representing a turning point that could weaken Israel's regional influence.

The poll found that 72.5 percent of Israelis do not believe Netanyahu when he says Israel achieved significant gains and removed an existential threat, a feeling that also reflects the growing uncertainty around the prime minister's future.

Read more: Ninety-two percent of Israelis think Iran has won war, new poll finds

Israel's defence minister said on Sunday that there was and is no restriction on Israeli soldiers to act against any threat encountered inside Lebanon.

"There has never been, and there is currently no restriction on [Israeli] soldiers in Lebanon from acting to eliminate threats... As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have made clear: Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon," Israel Katz said in a statement, referring to an area extending roughly 10 kilometres into Lebanese territory where Israeli forces remain.

Katz's remarks came shortly after Iran warned that it would not enter talks on a broader agreement with Washington unless Israel ended its attacks on Lebanon.

Israeli strikes killed more than 20 people in Lebanon on Saturday, Lebanon's state news agency NNA reported, a day after a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect.

Mediator Qatar has confirmed that talks between the US and Iran have started in Switzerland. 

In a statement Qatar's foreign ministry announced "the 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 Iran, and the two mediating states, the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan".

Doha added it hoped the meetings would "lead to a comprehensive and lasting agreement addressing all aspects covered by the Memorandum of Understanding", referring to an accord signed by the US and Iran earlier this week.

Iranian state television also confirmed on Sunday that delegations from Iran, Qatar and the US were holding a meeting in Switzerland to discuss a ceasefire in Lebanon and Iran's frozen assets.

"A tripartite meeting involving Iran, the United States and Qatar on the subjects of a comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon and Iran's blocked assets is currently being held at the negotiation venue," state broadcaster Irib said in a report.