Qatar and Pakistan: Critical Mediation Efforts Between 4 Countries – United States and Iran Amid Conflict And Controversy
With Hezbollah and Israel coming to an understanding and agreeing to a ceasefire, Qatar and Pakistan facilitated renewed talks between the United States and Iran in Burgenstock, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026. Both sides sought to establish technical working groups to implement the Memorandum of Understanding. The discussions unfolded amid conflicting accounts of military posture in southern Lebanon and disputes over the sequencing of Memorandum of Understanding clauses.
Qatar and Pakistan Mediate: Technical Talks in Switzerland
Based on reporting from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the X account for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar on June 21, 2026, detailed talks between the United States and Iran with Qatari and Pakistani mediators in Burgenstock, Switzerland. The meeting was to establish technical working groups to negotiate an extensive implementation framework for the Memorandum of Understanding. The ISW cited reporting from Fars News on June 21, 2026, stating Iranian officials emphasised that the focus was to ensure the United States would enact the required clauses before nuclear negotiations could start, and Fars News confirmed no nuclear committee members were present for the discussion.
Citing Fars News, the New York Times, and NourNews, the ISW noted a member of the Iranian delegates, Hossein Ghorban Zadeh, stating the talks’ focal point was the enactment of clause 13; this clause states that United States and Iran negotiations for a final agreement can only commence after clauses 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11 are executed. The ISW cited a Truth Social post by President Donald Trump alongside two posts on X by a correspondent with Fox News detailing threats made by President Donald Trump if Iran doesn’t rein in Hezbollah, which led to Fars News reporting that the Iranian team left the discussions in protest.
A correspondent from Axios reported that the delegates from Iran did not actually leave, instead insisting that talks were still ongoing. The ISW cited Fars News saying Iran expects the release of $12 billion USD in conjunction with planned test purchases from Iranian assets in Qatar of approximately $500 million USD. The Fars News report included confirmation from the Iranian Central Bank, adding that Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati was with the delegates in Switzerland to facilitate the release of $6 billion USD blocked in Qatar.
United States Issues Sanctions Waiver
The ISW cited a release by the United States Treasury Department on June 22, 2026, detailing a waiver for Iranian crude oil and petrochemical exports, authorised through Aug. 21, 2026, in accordance with the signed Memorandum of Understanding. Furthermore, it included banking transactions, insurance, and transportation, but does not apply to exports from Iran heading to North Korea, Cuba, or Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. Fars News, cited by the ISW, said that Iran and Qatar created a separate agreement to unfreeze Iranian assets from Qatar, though Qatar did not confirm Fars News reporting.
Citing PBS, the ISW noted that on June 22, 2026, Vice President JD Vance claimed Iran would use its unfrozen assets to purchase agricultural products from the United States when the United States unfreezes Iranian assets; however, the ISW cited a Telegram post denouncing his statements. Tabnak, which the ISW cited, reported that the Iranian Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on June 22, 2026, that views on Iran’s nuclear program were discussed, but there were no negotiations during the June 21, 2026 talks.
The ISW cited a Truth Social post by President Donald Trump on June 22, 2026, saying Iran needed to agree to inspection of nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The ISW noted Irib News reporting that Baghaei denied any new commitments, only that Iran’s work with the IAEA would remain under its existing legal framework.
Conflicting Reports: IDF in Southern Lebanon
Multiple posts on X were cited by the ISW corroborating that the combat between the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and Hezbollah has paused since June 20, 2026. The ISW noted reports from Israeli outlets Kan and Mako on June 21, 2026, detailing the United States’ push for military operations to move behind the Yellow Line. The report from Mako added that officials are informing the IDF to cease military occupation around Ali al Taher so as not to disrupt the negotiation process between Iran and the United States.
Qatar and Pakistan: Establishing Lebanon Deconfliction Cell
The ISW noted Fars News and an X post by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Qatar account following the June 21, 2026, discussions between the Lebanese government, Qatar, Pakistan, the United States, and Iran to oversee the establishment of a deconfliction cell to manage the end of hostilities in Lebanon. The ISW cited an X post by Al Arabiya Lebanon which indicated a senior Israeli source said officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) were deployed to Maroun al Ras to assist Hezbollah in defending against advancements by the IDF in Lebanon on June 22, 2026. Telegram posts by Samer al-Haj Ali, cited by the ISW, showed video of IDF operations against Hezbollah on June 22, 2026.
The ISW cited Israel Hayom reporting that Israeli officials and the United States agreed on June 22, 2026, that the IDF would remain in southern Lebanon while continuing to clear infrastructure in the buffer zone. The ISW noted this conflicted with earlier reporting from Haaretz and CNN on June 21, 2026, and June 22, 2026, suggesting the IDF might conduct a symbolic withdrawal beyond the Yellow Line as a gesture to the Lebanese government. The ISW cited posts on X from Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that supported the Israel Hayom account, asserting Israel’s right to defend itself and confirming the IDF would stay in southern Lebanon.
Maritime Traffic: IRGC Claims of Closure
The ISW cited Starboard Maritime Intelligence reporting that indicated 16 ships transited the Strait of Hormuz between 2 P.M. ET on June 20, 2026, and 2 P.M. ET on June 21, 2026, despite the IRGC announcing it had closed the international waterway. Fars News, cited by the ISW, released a statement from Iranian Supreme Leader Adviser Mohammad Mokhber on June 21, 2026, highlighting Iran’s ability to control the strait and its economic influence over international markets.
According to the New York Times and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, the United States and Iranian delegates agreed to establish a means of dialogue to ensure the safety of those transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The ISW cited reporting from Fars News that claims this new mechanism confirms Iran’s sovereignty over the international waterway. Updated reporting from Starboard Maritime Intelligence, cited by the ISW, showed that a total of 25 ships had transited the Strait of Hormuz between 2 P.M. ET on June 21, 2026, and 2 P.M. ET on June 22, 2026.
Drone Incident: Targeting Speaker Halbousi
The Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) Security Media Cell posted on X, cited by the ISW, revealing on June 20, 2026, that an unknown entity flew a small drone that crashed near Halbousi’s residence in the Karmah District, Anbar Province, resulting in a small fire, but no one was harmed. It was noted through the SecMedCell X post that, based on intelligence, the drone did not have explosives and that there will be further investigation into the matter.
