Vance, Iranian officials arrive in Switzerland to begin new round of talks amid ceasefire

President Donald Trump on Sunday criticized Italy and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni over their approach to Iran, accusing the NATO ally of failing to help confront Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

His remarks came after Tehran and Washington sat down for talks in Bürgenstock, Switzerland.

“After spending trillions of dollars on NATO, Italy and its prime minister wouldn’t even think of becoming involved with the Islamic Republic of Iran and their very serious nuclear threat,” Trump said in a post shared on Truth Social.

“For decades, we defend them but, when tested, they are not there to defend us and the rest of the world. Not good!” he added.

The public rift between Trump and Meloni has simmered for months.

Tensions escalated on June 20 after Trump claimed during a phone interview that Meloni had repeatedly sought a photograph with him at the G7 summit and that he agreed only out of pity.

The friction between the leaders had intensified in April when Trump criticized Meloni for siding with Pope Leo XIV’s condemnation of the U.S. conflict with Iran, accusing her of lacking courage.

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations warned Sunday that Iran's continued efforts to exert influence in Lebanon through Hezbollah are a "warning sign" for broader diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, vowing that Israel will not remain "sitting ducks" in the face of attacks from the Iran-backed terror group.

"It shows us that Iran, they actually still have interest in the region, they still want to have control over Lebanon and to pose a threat against Israel," Danny Danon told "Fox News Sunday."

Danon said Iran's continued involvement in Lebanon raises questions about Tehran's intentions as diplomatic efforts continue, arguing that the regime is seeking to maintain influence through proxies despite ongoing negotiations aimed at reducing tensions in the region.

"We are continuing to talk with the Lebanese government. And, at the same time, if we will be attacked by Hezbollah, the proxy of Iran, we will have to retaliate. We will not be like sitting ducks waiting for Hezbollah to shoot our citizens, our residents. We will defend ourselves," he said.

Danon expressed hope that the Lebanese government will be courageous enough to take action against the Iranian-backed proxy group, and he accused Iran of trying to "sabotage" ongoing Israel-Lebanon negotiations.

This is an excerpt from a report by Fox News' Taylor Penley.

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem demanded on Sunday that Israel withdraw from Lebanon, warning the group would respond to any ceasefire violation, according to reports.

Qassem also referred to Israel as the "aggressor" and said that there would be "no safe zone" for IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon, according to The Jerusalem Post.

He accused Israel of deceiving negotiators, saying the country "did not give any concessions to Lebanon in the past months and only sought deception, intensified attacks, and dictated its demands."

His comments came as Israel signaled it has no plans to pull back from the area.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military would maintain a "security zone" in southern Lebanon for "as long as necessary."

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also said on Sunday that Israeli troops would continue operating in Lebanon to remove threats without restrictions.

Hezbollah had not launched attacks into Israeli territory on Sunday.

It has continued targeting Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon, the IDF said.

Commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell significantly Sunday following Iran's threat to close the strategic waterway, according to maritime intelligence firm Windward.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy had announced on Saturday that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz to all maritime traffic, warning all vessels to stay away from the waterway.

“Iran's re-closure of Hormuz is already measurable in the data,” Windward said in a post shared on X.

As of Sunday, the firm noted 12 vessel transits, down from more than 21 on June 20.

“Neutral and European commercial tonnage: absent. Five of eight inbound vessels: dark,” Windward added.

“The MOU-driven recovery that began June 18 has stalled within 24 hours of the announcement,” it said.

The current traffic profile, it said, showed “dark, sanctioned, Iranian-linked tankers.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that stopping Iran’s nuclear program is a “sacred mission” on Sunday during a memorial ceremony for his brother, who died 50 years ago.

Netanyahu made the remarks while honoring his brother, Yoni Netanyahu, who died during Operation Thunderbolt, in which the IDF rescued hundreds of travelers after Palestinian terrorists hijacked an Air France flight from Tel Aviv headed to Paris, diverting it to Uganda in 1976.

“I pledge here at your grave, Yoni, and I pledge to you, the citizens of Israel: The State of Israel will not be a passing episode in the history of our people,” the prime minister said. “We stand firm in defense of our vital interests.”

“And regarding Iran: Whatever political developments may occur, I will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu said. “As long as I am Prime Minister of Israel, it will not happen. To this sacred mission, I have dedicated my life since your death, Yoni.”

Vice President Vance and White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, are engaged in talks with Iranian officials in Switzerland to push for a lasting peace agreement following a recently signed ceasefire.

Fox News’ Yonat Friling contributed to this report.

Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has returned to similar levels seen before the war with Iran broke out, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sunday.

Wright made the remarks during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” saying 67 ships traversed the vital waterway on Saturday, up from 55 ships the day before.

“In terms of oil and oil products, about equal to where we were before the conflict,” Wright said, adding that “traffic is flowing through the Straits quite nicely” thanks to the U.S. military presence in the region.

President Donald Trump told Fox News’ chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst earlier Sunday that 19 million barrels of oil left through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday.

Wright also said the U.S. has opened a separate channel to the south of the strait, where it has been escorting ships, since Iran has not yet “demined” a central shipping channel through the Strait of Hormuz.

“We've been escorting ships through that for several weeks now, and at very high levels today,” he said.

The status of the waterway has come into question after Tehran said Saturday it closed the Strait of Hormuz again over Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon. The U.S. has disputed Iran’s announcement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened to strike Iran “very hard again” if its proxies in Lebanon, where the terror organization Hezbollah operates, continue to cause “trouble.”

“Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!”

Israel has accused Hezbollah repeatedly violating a ceasefire agreement that went into effect Friday.

A senior IDF official told Fox News on Saturday that Hezbollah launched more than 50 rockets at Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon overnight, accusing the terrorist proxy of killing five Israel Defense Force soldiers in the past 48 hours.

Trump earlier Sunday told Fox News’ chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst that he was “disappointed Israel can't put Hezbollah away."

"They can't do anything without knocking buildings down,” Trump said.

 "I'm close to giving it over to Syria," the president said of the fight against Hezbollah.

President Donald Trump on Sunday told Fox News that he delivered a stark warning to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to “blow the s--- out of them” should Tehran close the vital waterway.

Trump spoke with Fox News’ chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst, saying he issued the warning directly to the Iranians leadership should the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) close the Strait of Hormuz.

"You close it and you won't have a country,” Trump said. "You won't even make it back to your f------ country."

Trump said 19 million barrels of oil left through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, adding that the U.S. could become the "Guardian Angel" of the waterway and take 20% of the oil.

Trump reiterated his threat to potentially collect tolls for vessels traversing the strait should Iran fail to reach an agreement.

"If they don't make a deal, we'll collect tolls,” the president said.

Trump also warned of greater consequences.

"We may take over the Strait, if we have to,” he said. “I'll blow the s--- out of them."

When told about Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian remarks about Iran maintaining its right to enrich uranium, Trump didn’t mince his words.

"He better watch his mouth,” Trump said of Pezeshkian. “He better shape up or we'll take over the rest of the country."

Trump said that the 60-day ceasefire and negotiation framework established under the Memorandum of Understanding he signed last week “is just an option,” and “I can do whatever I want after that option."

Vice President JD Vance said Sunday that the United States is seeking to "turn over a new leaf" with Iran as senior officials from both countries gathered for what he described as a historic round of diplomacy aimed at reshaping relations across the Middle East.

Speaking at the opening of the Lake Lucerne Summit in Switzerland, Vance credited President Donald Trump with creating the conditions for the talks and said the administration hopes to build on recent developments by pursuing a long-term agreement with Tehran.

"The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together?" Vance said. "Can we turn over a new leaf? Can we change relations in the Middle East permanently?"

The summit brings together representatives from the United States, Iran, and mediating nations Qatar and Pakistan in what Vance characterized as an unprecedented high-level engagement between Washington and Tehran.

Vance said the administration's goal is to transform a region long marked by tensions between Iran and its Gulf neighbors into one focused on "peace and prosperity for everyone." He argued that recent events have already produced key outcomes sought by the U.S., including keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and ending Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions.

"What the president has asked us to do is turn over a new leaf to transform our relationship with the people of Iran," Vance said.

The vice president said the U.S. is extending "an outstretched hand" to Iran, but conditioned any broader compromise on Tehran abandoning what he called its role as a source of regional instability and giving up nuclear weapons ambitions for the long term.

"If your leadership is willing to give up being a driver of regional instability, if they are willing to give up nuclear weapons ambitions for the long term, then the United States is willing to fundamentally transform our relationship with that country," Vance said.

Vance told attendees that negotiators had already made "great progress" in the first hours of discussions and expressed confidence that more progress could be made as talks continue.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Sunday that Israel remains open to a diplomatic path toward peace with Lebanon, but warned that any lasting agreement will require curbing Iran’s influence and addressing the threat posed by Hezbollah.

Appearing on "FOX & Friends First," Herzog argued that Tehran continues to wield outsized influence in Lebanon through Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed terror group that has repeatedly clashed with Israel along the northern border.

"How the hell do you want to get to peace between Israel and Lebanon when you have Hezbollah hijacking Lebanon?" Herzog said.

His comments come as Israeli and Lebanese officials are expected to resume talks in Washington this week aimed at advancing a potential peace agreement between the neighboring countries.

While expressing optimism about the possibility of improved relations, Herzog said Iran’s involvement remains a major obstacle. He argued that Tehran is undermining Lebanese leaders who seek stability and closer ties with Israel.

"Iran should not be involved at all in the crisis in Lebanon," Herzog said, adding that the international community must make clear that Tehran cannot continue to exert influence through Hezbollah.

Despite the ongoing conflict, Herzog painted an optimistic picture of what peace could look like in the region.

"We want peace," Herzog said. "My dream ... is to take a car and drive all the way to Beirut."

He argued that achieving that vision will require confronting Hezbollah, which he accused of repeatedly violating ceasefire arrangements and preventing meaningful progress toward peace.

"Somebody needs to do the work," Herzog said, arguing that Hezbollah must be disarmed or stripped of its ability to derail diplomatic efforts before a lasting peace can take hold.

Israeli soldiers will remain within the security zone in Lebanon during a U.S.-backed ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Sunday.

"There has never been, and there is currently no restriction on IDF soldiers in Lebanon acting to remove threats,” Katz said, adding that the ceasefire agreement “leaves the IDF in all of its positions within the security zone that protects the northern communities.”

“As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have made clear: Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon,” Katz said.

Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire agreement that went into effect on Friday, though Israel has claimed the terror group has repeatedly violated the ceasefire in the ensuing days.

Katz said in his statement that the IDF used “significant force” to respond to a Hezbollah attack on its forces, eliminating “a very large number of Hezbollah terrorists” and striking “numerous terrorist infrastructures.”

A senior IDF official told Fox News on Saturday that Hezbollah launched more than 50 rockets at Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon overnight, calling the attacks "continuous and repeated violations" of the ceasefire agreement reached.

The official also said five IDF soldiers have been killed over the past 48 hours amid renewed clashes with Hezbollah.

Fox News Digital's Yonat Friling and Brittany Miller contributed to this report.

Former CIA station chief Dan Hoffman warned Saturday that Hezbollah continues to pose a significant threat to both Israel and U.S. interests in the Middle East despite ongoing negotiations involving Iran.

Speaking on "Life, Liberty & Levin," Hoffman said Hezbollah remains one of Iran's primary tools for projecting power throughout the region."Iran has used Hezbollah, the Houthis, their proxy militants in Iraq to project power in the region and beyond," Hoffman said.

Hoffman argued that Hezbollah's influence in Lebanon continues to create security risks for Israel and for American personnel stationed throughout the Middle East.

"That's what causes Israel to be at great risk, but not just Israel, it's U.S. installations and our people in the region and beyond," Hoffman said.

The former CIA official also warned that any agreement with Iran should not leave Hezbollah in a position to rebuild its military capabilities.

"The last thing we want is for Hezbollah to emerge from any deal that we have with Iran in a position to rearm and reconstitute," Hoffman said.

The comments come as Israel and Hezbollah exchange new attacks despite a ceasefire agreement that is tied to broader negotiations involving the United States and Iran.

Vice President JD Vance landed in Switzerland early Sunday to help launch a new round of negotiations with Iran, as the Trump administration pushes for a lasting agreement following a recently signed ceasefire.

Vance arrived shortly before 6 a.m. local time and is expected to join White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, for the talks.

Swiss officials confirmed Sunday that the Iranian delegation had arrived and was traveling to Bürgenstock, where the discussions are expected to take place.

The talks were initially scheduled for Friday, but Switzerland's foreign ministry announced that planned negotiations involving the U.S., Iran, Qatar and Pakistan had been postponed.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is also expected to participate in the talks, according to Axios.

The negotiations come days after Trump signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran following the G7 summit at the Palace of Versailles. The agreement established a 60-day ceasefire and outlined a framework for broader negotiations between the two countries aimed at ending the conflict.

In a Truth Social post Saturday, Trump warned that the United States could impose tolls in the Strait of Hormuz if negotiations fail to produce a lasting agreement before the ceasefire expires.

Before departing from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Vance said a successful trip would involve establishing the framework for future negotiations.

"I think number one, just getting things set up in the right way and getting the actual structure of the negotiations in place," he said.

"The way that we're going to do this, we're going to have a principal level of political leadership at the top," he continued. "And then obviously the technical team is going to stay on the ground."

Vance said he expected to remain in Switzerland for a day or two. The vice president also previewed some of the issues expected to be discussed during the negotiations.

"I think we're hopefully making progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue," he said.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz.