Iran's negotiating team protests Trump ‘threats,’ says they violate memorandum of understanding

Iran's negotiating team has protested US President Donald Trump's "threats" during ongoing talks in Switzerland, arguing that the remarks constitute a "violation" of the memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington, according to Iran's Tasnim News Agency.

Citing the Iranian negotiating delegation, Tasnim reported that Trump's "threats" against Iran and its negotiating team represent "a blatant violation" of the first article of the memorandum of understanding.

According to the delegation, Article 1 of the memorandum requires the US to refrain from issuing a "threat."

The agency also reported that the Iranian delegation departed the venue of the talks with the US following Trump's "threats."

Earlier on Sunday, Trump urged Iran to "immediately stop their highly paid proxies in Lebanon from causing trouble," or Washington will hit Tehran "very hard again."

"If they don't, we'll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

According to Fox News, Trump also spoke with Iranians overnight and warned that if they close the Strait of Hormuz, "you won't have a country."

"You won't even make it back to your f----- country."

"We may take over the Strait, if we have to," Trump said.

He said that the US could become the "Guardian Angel" of the Strait of Hormuz and take 20% of the oil. "If they don't make a deal, we'll collect tolls," the US president added.

In the interview with Fox News, Trump said Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who has insisted that Iran maintain its right to enrich uranium, "better watch his mouth."

"He better shape up or we'll take over the rest of the country," Trump said.

The first round of four-party talks involving Iran and the US, with mediation by Qatar and Pakistan, concluded in Switzerland Sunday, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported, citing a source familiar with the Iranian negotiating team.

No further details were immediately released on when the next session would begin.

Earlier in the day, Qatar announced the start of US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland with the participation of Qatari and Pakistani mediators to discuss the implementation of the terms of an interim agreement between the two sides.

US and Iranian delegations arrived early in Switzerland for technical negotiations under the memorandum of understanding that was signed on Wednesday to end the months-long Middle East conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The talks in Burgenstock are led by US Vice President JD Vance and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the Iranian side, under Pakistani mediation.

Citing an unknown diplomat, Axios reported that the Iranian delegation has not left the talks in Switzerland, and talks between the US and Iran are still ongoing.

The report also said the US side would like the first round of talks to end with an Iranian invitation for UN inspectors to visit its nuclear sites, which were bombed by the US and Israel.