U.S.-Iran talks stalled after Israel-Hezbollah fighting

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(The Center Square) - Vice President JD Vance and negotiators in Iran have delayed peace talks and a planned formal signing of a peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran due to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. 

Overnight, at least 18 people were killed in strikes in Lebanon, according to Lebanon's health ministry. Four Israeli soldiers were also killed by Hezbollah militants, the Israeli military said. 

The fighting has brought an agreement to end hostilites between the United States and Iran to an abrupt halt. Vance and negotiators in Iran were supposed to travel to Switzerland on Friday to sign a formal memorandum of understanding.

"The plans for the upcoming technical talks have not been finalized, and the U.S. delegation has been prepared to depart at the first available opportunity," a spokesperson for the vice president said. "But the logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable."

The memorandum of understanding gives negotiators 60 days to agree on a status for Iran's nuclear program and set up a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran. 

The memorandum does not include mentions of Iran's support for terrorist proxies, including Hezbollah. The first article in the MOU calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon, specifically between Israel and Hezbollah. 

Vance confirmed that the agreement between the two nations began on Thursday. Israel was not formally included in negotiations between the two nations. 

"My directive is clear: Israel will not tolerate attacks on our soldiers or our territory, and it will exact a very heavy price from Hezbollah for these attacks," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote. 

It is unclear when negotiators from the U.S. and Iran will pick back up with negotiations.