• Video
  • Shop
  • Culture
  • Family
  • Wellness
  • Food
  • Living
  • Style
  • Travel
  • News
  • Book Club
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • Terms of Use
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Contact Us
  • © 2026 ABC News
ABC News

Iran updates: Iran's top negotiator says military 'ready to respond' amid Trump threats

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks during a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House, June 18, 2026, in Washington.
1:49
Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo
US-Iran talks resume after threats from Trump
By David Brennan, Nadine El-Bawab, Kevin Shalvey, Jon Haworth
Last Updated: June 21, 2026, 8:40 PM

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.

Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan in April failed to reach a peace deal. Trump later announced the open-ended extension of the ceasefire and the continuation of a U.S. blockade until negotiations concluded.

On Sunday, Trump announced that the U.S. and Iran had reached a "great deal." The memorandum of understanding was read to reporters on Wednesday, and the U.S. and Iranian presidents signed it that day, a White House official said.

Key Headlines

  • Vance says 'great progress' being made in negotiations, downplays fighting in Lebanon
  • Israel will not withdraw from its 'security zone' in Lebanon, minister says
  • US and Iranian delegations arrive for Swiss talks
  • IDF official says Hezbollah fired over 50 rockets overnight
  • Vance lands in Switzerland
Here's how the news is developing.

Jun 21, 2026 8:40 PM

Iran's top negotiator says military 'ready to respond' after Trump's threats

Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Ghalibaf has responded to President Donald Trump's threat to take over Iran and control of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran's President, Masoud Pezeshkian, said his country would not give up its right to enrich uranium.

In a social media post, Ghalibaf said Iran's “armed forces are ready to respond."

"Don't they think to themselves that if their threats had any effect, they wouldn't have reached the point of despair today?" Ghalibaf said. "We don't count on the threats of the Americans. They better be careful with their statements, our armed forces are ready to respond in another way. Whatever they say, we are the ones who will act."

In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Trump warned that Iranian officials "won’t even make it back to your [expletive] country" amid claims Iran had closed the Strait of Hormuz as nuclear negotiations got underway in Switzerland.

"You close it and you won’t have a country,” Trump claimed he told Iranian officials, whom he did not identify. "We may take over the strait, if we have to. If they don't make a deal, we'll collect tolls."

Responding to Pezeshkian's statement that Iran would not give up its right to enrich uranium, Trump told Fox News, "He better watch his mouth. He better shape up, or we'll take over the rest of the country."

-ABC News' Claire Bower


Jun 21, 2026 2:14 PM

Vance says 'great progress' being made in negotiations, downplays fighting in Lebanon

Vice President JD Vance said "great progress" was being made in Sunday's U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland and sought to downplay the Israeli-Hezbollah fighting in Lebanon.

"We've already made great progress over just the last few hours, and I expect it will make additional progress in the hours to come," Vance told reporters in Bürgenstock.

The vice president said many of the U.S.'s goals have already been achieved, and Sunday’s negotiations were about what could be further accomplished through diplomacy.

PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance speaks next to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif prior to a meeting between the United States, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026.
Urs Flueeler/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Vice President JD Vance speaks next to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif prior to a quadrilateral meeting between the United States, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026, as part of high-level talks aimed at advancing a deal to end the Middle East conflict.
Urs Flueeler/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

"The opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the ending of the Iranian nuclear program, all of these things have already been accomplished," Vance said. "The question before us now is how much more can we accomplish together?"

Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry, said earlier on Sunday that the "termination of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon" would be among the points discussed. Israel's defense minister also said on Sunday that the Israel Defense Forces did not plan to leave the area they're occupying in southern Lebanon.

Vance continued to minimize the impact of the ongoing conflict in Lebanon on the peace process, again insisting that conditions on the ground have been improving.

"We've seen great progress over the last just a couple of days in ensuring that the ceasefire holds in Lebanon," he said.

-ABC News’ Nicholas Kerr and Hannah Demissie


Jun 21, 2026 11:02 AM

Israel will not withdraw from its 'security zone' in Lebanon, minister says

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that his country's military "will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon" and that the Israel Defense Forces are free "to act to eliminate threats."

"Preserving the lives of our soldiers and citizens is a top and absolute priority," Katz added in his statement.

-ABC News' Jordana Miller



Jun 21, 2026 10:52 AM

US and Iranian delegations arrive for Swiss talks

Delegations from the United States and Iran arrived on Sunday at the Bürgenstock resort in Switzerland, where talks were set to begin.

Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar have also arrived at the resort, a luxury lakeside retreat outside Lucerne, the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday.

PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance waits, alongside U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, at the Buergenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, near Stansstad, Switzerland, June 21, 2026.
Nathan Howard/Pool via Reuters
Vice President JD Vance waits, alongside U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, at the Buergenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, near Stansstad, Switzerland, June 21, 2026.
Nathan Howard/Pool via Reuters

Vice President JD Vance, along with the Trump administration’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met on Sunday with Pakistani officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance, second from left greets Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir in Obbuergen, Switzerland, Sunday, June 21, 2026.
Nathan Howard/Pool Reuters via AP
Vice President JD Vance, second from left, greets Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, left, as President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, second from right, greets Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, right, looks on, on the occasion of high-level talks aimed at advancing a deal to end the Middle East conflict, at the Burgenstock Resort in Obbuergen, Switzerland, Sunday, June 21, 2026.
Nathan Howard/Pool Reuters via AP

Vance had departed the U.S. on Saturday afternoon. He did not give formal remarks before meeting with Pakistani officials, who have served as key intermediaries for the U.S. in the negotiations. Rather, he thanked the Pakistani delegation for being there and asked how the pool reporters were doing after their flight, noting, "We'll speak to you guys later."

PHOTO: A police car is parked near a hamlet close to the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026, ahead of high-level talks aimed at advancing a deal to end the Middle East conflict.
Fabrice Coffrini/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
A police car is parked near a hamlet close to the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026, ahead of high-level talks aimed at advancing a deal to end the Middle East conflict.
Fabrice Coffrini/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry, said on Sunday that the talks would focus on key paragraphs in the memorandum of understanding signed by both countries.

He said the "termination of the war on all fronts, including Lebanon," would be among the points discussed.

-ABC News' Rashid Haddou and Nicholas Kerr


Jun 20, 2026 10:55 AM

Death toll rises to 16 in new Israeli strikes on Lebanon

The Lebanese Civil Defense said Saturday morning that at least 16 people have been killed in a mixture of airstrikes, drone strikes and artillery shelling that has been hitting Lebanon, with at least 12 more injured.

"Civil defense elements continue to carry out their humanitarian and relief missions in response to the calls of citizens, despite difficult field conditions and challenges," Lebanese authorities said.

The Lebanese Civil Defense added that at least 47 others were evacuated from the area.

The IDF has not yet commented on the alleged strikes.

-ABC News' Rashid Haddou


GMA Newsletters

Sign up for our newsletters to get GMA delivered to your inbox every morning!

Up Next in news

PHOTO: A woman at the New York Knicks victory celebrations emptied and took a Knicks-themed trash can.

New York Knicks fan no longer employed by former company, fined after taking Knicks-themed trash can

June 24, 2026
PHOTO: Residential houses are seen in a suburban neighbourhood.

What to know about housing legislative package passed by Congress

June 24, 2026
PHOTO: Students with cellphones in an undated stock photo.

LA school district approves new screen time limits for students

June 24, 2026

The latest lifestyle and entertainment news and inspiration for how to live your best life - all from Good Morning America.
  • Contests
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Children’s Online Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • About Nielsen Measurement
  • Press
  • Feedback
  • Shop FAQs
  • ABC News
  • ABC
  • All Videos
  • All Topics
  • Sitemap

© 2026 ABC News
  • Privacy Policy— 
  • Your US State Privacy Rights— 
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy— 
  • Interest-Based Ads— 
  • Terms of Use— 
  • Do Not Sell My Info— 
  • Contact Us— 

© 2026 ABC News