U.S. state secretary says technical talks with Iran could resume next week in Switzerland

A building with a sign of talks between Iran, the United States and the mediators is pictured in Buergenstock near Lucerne, Switzerland, June 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

KUWAIT CITY, June 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said here Wednesday that U.S.-Iran technical talks are expected to resume next week, likely on June 29 or 30 in Switzerland.

Rubio made the announcement during an official visit to Kuwait, where he met with Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Kuwait News Agency reported.

The meeting focused on bilateral cooperation and regional developments, it reported.

Speaking to reporters in Kuwait City, Rubio said the United States remains committed to close coordination with its Gulf partners.

He did not provide further details on the upcoming technical talks.

Rubio's Kuwait visit is part of a three-day regional tour running from Tuesday to Thursday, which includes the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, where he is scheduled to attend a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting on regional security.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi (L) meets with his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis at Buergenstock mountain resort in central Switzerland before the scheduled talks with the United States, on June 21, 2026. (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs/Handout via Xinhua)

Before meeting the emir, Rubio attended a flag-raising ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait, marking its reopening after a nearly four-month closure. The embassy had temporarily suspended its services following drone and missile attacks in early March amid the latest regional conflict.

The embassy said on social media platform X that it officially resumed operations at midnight on Wednesday and will begin providing emergency services to U.S. citizens, with other consular services to be restored gradually.

On June 18, the United States and Iran signed a peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) aiming at ending conflict on all fronts, including Lebanon.

On Sunday, Iranian and U.S. delegations held high-level consultations on the implementation of the MoU in Switzerland, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar. Technical talks followed on Monday.