High-level peace talks between the United States and Iran have concluded, mediators said Monday, with the “immediate” launch of a new round of lower-level technical discussions this week in Switzerland.The two sides agreed on a road map aimed at reaching a final agreement within 60 days, according to a joint statement from the mediators, Pakistan and Qatar.They also agreed to establish a “de-escalation working group” that includes Lebanon to address the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah there.

A communication channel was also established to prevent “incidents and misunderstandings” and to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, the mediators said, calling the progress “encouraging.”

Vice President JD Vance had begun the talks on Sunday, expressing hope that the two sides could make progress.

At the same time, back in Washington, President Donald Trump issued a firm warning of fresh attacks on Tehran if it blocked the reopening of the strait—showing the kind of strong leadership that has forced Iran back to the table.

Iran’s lead negotiator responded by accusing the United States of being “desperate” and warning of retaliation against any U.S. aggression.

Despite the typical Iranian bellicosity, negotiators from the two countries — along with mediators from Pakistan and Qatar — held about 18 hours of intensive talks and consultations at the Swiss resort of Bürgenstock.

Afterward, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi praised “tireless Pakistani and Qatari mediation,” saying in a post on X that “oil and petrochem exports are waived, blockade lifted, some frozen assets released, and major reconstruction & development plan launched for Iran.” U.S. officials had not commented on the negotiations Monday morning.

The Bürgenstock gathering, dubbed the Lake Lucerne Summit, is part of a 60-day effort to build on the recently announced U.S.-Iran ceasefire and establish a broader deal to end the war and address concerns about Iran’s nuclear program.

“The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together? Can we turn over a new leaf?” Vance said at the start of talks on Sunday.

“Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently or do we go back to doing things the old way, which is not our preference but is certainly very much something that can happen?”

Tensions flared over the weekend after Iran, in typical fashion, said it was closing the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon. U.S. Central Command said Saturday that commercial vessels were still passing through the waterway, underscoring that Tehran’s threats often amount to bluster when confronted with American resolve.

The safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is critical to bringing down global oil prices.

In a phone interview on Sunday with Fox News’s Trey Yingst, Trump threatened to attack Iran and take over the Strait of Hormuz if Tehran interfered with passage through the waterway.

“You close [the Strait of Hormuz] and you won’t have a country,” Trump said he told Iranian officials, Yingst posted on X “You won’t even make it back to your fu*king country.”

Trump also underscored the threat in a Truth Social post in which he urged Iran to stop Hezbollah militants in Lebanon from “causing trouble.”

“If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder,” he said.

The negotiations in Switzerland are key to Washington’s goal of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Trump had cited Iran’s nuclear ambitions as a main justification for his decision to go to war, a necessary step to protect American interests and allies after years of weak policies that emboldened the regime.

A memorandum of understanding that Trump signed at the Palace of Versailles in France last week requires the U.S. to deliver early, including by lifting sanctions, freeing billions in frozen assets, and dismantling a naval blockade of Iranian ports—concessions only made possible by America’s position of strength.

The two sides established a two-month timeline to flesh out the details and settle issues that have plagued negotiators for years.

Iran promised to let shipping traffic flow freely through the Strait of Hormuz.