The countdown has officially begun. The United States and Iran have 60 days to find a meeting point and define the details of the bilateral agreement. This was announced during a press conference at the White House by American Vice President JD Vance, who confirmed that the negotiating window formally opened today, June 18, 2026. A very delicate passage for the geopolitical balance of the Middle East, which comes after months of underground tensions and diplomatic channels that have laboriously remained open thanks to international mediation.
The junction of the Strait of Hormuz and the naval passages
To demonstrate the stability of the first commitments made and a partial easing of restrictions, Donald Trump’s right-hand man has reeled off the first data relating to maritime security in the Persian Gulf area, one of the hottest points of the dossier. According to what was declared by Vance, Washington has remained faithful to the commercial non-belligerence pacts signed in the preliminary agreement: “The United States has authorized the transit of 12 Iranian ships since the signing of the agreement with Tehran”, the vice president explained to the press, assuring that the strategic trade routes are not at risk and that, at present, the Strait of Hormuz “is open” and fully navigable.
At the weekend the table in Switzerland
Having closed the phase of the first obligations, the ball now passes to diplomacy on the field. The official negotiations to secure the final agreement will move to neutral territory, most likely in Geneva. Times are tight and the American organizational machine is already ready to move, even if the agenda remains linked to logistical and political variables of the counterparty. “I’m not sure when I’ll go to Switzerland, I think this weekend but I don’t know exactly yet,” Vance admitted in response to journalists. “It largely depends on when Iranian delegates also get the green light to join us.” The next two months will be decisive in understanding whether the US administration will be able to achieve a historic détente with the Islamic Republic or whether the dialogue is destined to fail.