Follow-up talks had been planned in Switzerland on Friday but were postponed at the last minute after Israel launched deadly strikes in Lebanon following the deaths of four of its soldiers in combat.

Iran yesterday said it was once again closing the vital Strait of Hormuz over Israeli attacks in Lebanon, as Iranian and US negotiators prepared to converge on Switzerland for talks on implementing a deal to end the Middle East war.

Health ministry reports 12,121 wounded since March 2

State media confirms departure of negotiating delegation

Pakistani and Qatari mediators to participate

Fresh clashes erupt between Israel and Hezbollah despite ceasefire 

The Iran war, launched by US President Donald Trump with Israel on February 28, was billed as a turning point for the Islamic republic.

Report says request will cover war costs and military operations

Israel, left out of the talks, says it is not party to the deal

Alarm is sharpest in the Gulf, where Iranian attacks have shaken confidence in long-standing security arrangements

Look forward to beginning technical talks as soon as possible, says White House

The US yesterday lifted a blockade of Iranian ports imposed during the Middle East war after President Donald Trump and President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a deal to end the conflict on all fronts, as uncertainty surrounded planned talks in Switzerland aiming to take the accord further.

A two-month negotiating period now begins with all eyes on the reopening of Hormuz

Oil prices fall as shipping resumes after months of disruption

While a breakthrough cannot be ruled out, most analysts are skeptical the two sides can forge a final settlement within the 60-day window laid out in a “memorandum of ​understanding” that President Donald Trump and Iranian leaders approved this week.

Here are the main points from the memorandum of understanding signed between the United States and Iran to end the war

Pakistan PM confirms US-Iran deal ceremony to be held in Switzerland on Friday

Trump put his signature to the memorandum of understanding during dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palace of Versailles following a G7 summit, a US official told AFP.

US President Donald Trump yesterday defended his interim agreement with Iran, saying it had averted a global economic catastrophe, while warning he could launch fresh attacks if Tehran failed to honour its commitments.

Talks on a final US-Iran settlement to end the conflict are set to begin Friday