VP JD Vance announces progress in Iran nuclear talks, says Tehran agrees to allow inspectors

Jun 22, 2026

U.S. Vice President JD Vance announced that talks in Switzerland have established a strong foundation to end the war, highlighted by Iran agreeing to readmit international nuclear inspectors. Under a 60-day interim agreement, the U.S. Treasury issued a sanctions waiver allowing Iranian oil sales and U.S. imports through August 21, 2026. While technical talks continue, a parallel ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon is holding, and shipping transits through the Strait of Hormuz have begun to rise.

Switzerland nuclear negotiations

▪U.S. Vice President JD Vance announced on June 22, 2026, that Iran has agreed to allow nuclear inspectors back into the country following initial talks in Switzerland.
▪U.S. negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff remained in Switzerland to handle technical details of the negotiations.
▪The International Atomic Energy Agency halted its inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities in February 2026 after the war started.

U.S.-Iran interim war agreement

▪The interim agreement signed by the U.S. and Iran establishes a 60-day period to negotiate key issues, including the future of Tehran's nuclear program.
▪The main Iranian negotiating team, including parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, departed Switzerland for Tehran on June 22, 2026.

Strait of Hormuz reopening

▪Kpler reported 71 confirmed vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend of June 20-21, 2026, with a peak of 35 crossings on June 20, 2026.
▪The U.S. and Iran agreed on a mechanism to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and ensure a regional ceasefire.

Israel-Hezbollah Lebanon ceasefire

▪UNIFIL spokesperson Tilak Pokharel stated that no trajectories had been detected from either Israel or Hezbollah since June 21, 2026.
▪A ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah appeared to hold on June 22, 2026, marking the longest lull in violence since March 2, 2026.

Iranian frozen asset unfreezing

▪Qatar would have approval authority over the process of using unfrozen Iranian assets to purchase American agricultural products.
▪U.S. Vice President JD Vance suggested unfreezing Iranian assets to purchase U.S. soy, corn, and wheat, an idea developed by Jared Kushner and Qatari officials.

Iranian oil sanctions waiver

▪The U.S. Treasury Department issued a 60-day license waiving sanctions on Iranian oil, authorizing its production, delivery, and sale through August 21, 2026.
▪The U.S. Treasury license allows Iranian oil to be imported into the United States for the first time since the 1990s.