BURGENSTOCK, Switzerland, June 22 — The United States and Iran have agreed to establish a “deconfliction cell” aimed at securing a cessation of military operations in Lebanon, marking a significant technical milestone under their 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The first session of technical talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland concluded with an agreement to create the mechanism, even as U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Washington would “hit Iran very hard” if it continued supporting what he described as proxy groups in the region. Iranian officials, meanwhile, characterized the initiative as the “first real test” of the agreement.
According to a joint statement issued Monday by mediators Qatar and Pakistan, the deconfliction cell will involve the parties, the Lebanese Republic, and the mediators to ensure compliance with the termination of military operations in Lebanon under the MoU.
“Moreover, the parties agreed on the creation of a deconfliction cell between the parties and the Lebanese Republic, facilitated by the mediators, to ensure adherence to the termination of military operations in Lebanon as per the MoU,” the statement said.
The statement added that technical negotiations would continue throughout the week at the Burgenstock resort to address all remaining issues.
The announcement came after Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Sunday that Iran had decided not to continue the quadrilateral format involving the United States, Iran, Qatar, and Pakistan following Trump’s comments.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!”
The remarks drew swift criticism from Tehran, which has repeatedly condemned Israel’s continued military operations in Lebanon and described them as a violation of previous commitments.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf characterized Trump’s comments as a sign of American “desperation,” saying Iran would not be intimidated by threats from Washington and asserting that the country’s armed forces were prepared to respond if necessary.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the establishment of the deconfliction cell would serve as the “first real test” of the ongoing negotiations.
The conflict in Lebanon remains a major flashpoint in the Middle East, marked by ongoing military confrontations between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Hezbollah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained that the IDF’s presence is necessary to counter threats posed by Hezbollah. Hezbollah, meanwhile, has stated that it enjoys strong support from Iran, which considers defending Lebanon and ending hostilities there among its highest priorities.
Iranian officials have consistently argued that developments in Lebanon must be addressed as part of any comprehensive diplomatic agreement with the United States.
Criticizing Israel’s actions in Lebanon, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson previously warned of “subsequent steps” if the terms of the MoU were further violated. The comments came after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing what it described as Israel’s “relentless and continuous violation of the ceasefire,” according to Iran’s Fars News Agency.
The Trump administration has continued to balance diplomatic engagement with pressure on Tehran. While negotiations proceed, the president has repeatedly warned Iran to halt support for armed groups operating in Lebanon.
Despite the tensions, mediators Qatar and Pakistan said they remain committed to advancing the talks.
The two countries said they “will continue to do their utmost to ensure that the negotiations continue to be conducted in a constructive atmosphere with the aim of reaching a final deal.”
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