NPR News: 06-20-2026 10AM EDT

Windsor Johnston· Host0:00

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Vice President JD Vance says top US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are in Switzerland as the Trump administration works to restart talks with Iran. Speaking on Fox News, Vance said senior officials from several countries are expected to arrive in Lucerne as early as Sunday.

J.D. Vance· Soundbite0:23

"So we'll plan the talks when the principals from the Iranian government, also the Qatari and the Pakistani government arrive. Uh, that may happen as soon as tomorrow, but these things are always a little bit in flux. Uh, Jared and Steve have been on the ground now for a few hours, uh, dealing with some of the technical elements of this negotiation."

Windsor Johnston· Host0:39

Iran says it's once again closed the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic, but Vance has denied that claim. The vice president says he may travel to Switzerland in the coming days. He was supposed to have led a delegation to Lucerne on Friday, but that got postponed because of intense fighting in southern Lebanon. Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon overnight have killed at least sixteen people. That's according to government and local officials. NPR's Jawad Rizkallah reports the attacks continued despite a US-brokered ceasefire agreed by Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah on Friday.

Jawad Rizkallah1:16

The Lebanese army, in announcing the soldier's death, said Israel's attacks were aimed at obstructing efforts to restore stability in Lebanon. The Lebanese army has been tasked by the US with replacing Hezbollah, the militant group Israel is fighting. Hezbollah politician,