U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance arrived in Switzerland today, where talks are expected to begin with Iran aimed at bringing a lasting end to the war in the Middle East, according to a spokesperson.

Vance and his wife arrived at 7 a.m. Greek time at the Emmen air base near Lucerne in central Switzerland, according to his spokesperson.

The start of direct talks between the United States and Iran is scheduled to take place in Switzerland, despite the fact that the Iranian military announced it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon.

The U.S. military, as reported by the BBC, disputed the claim, stating that “navigation is continuing normally.” Tehran said the closure of the Strait is a response to deadly Israeli raids in Lebanon, which it described as a violation of the agreement it had concluded with the United States to end the war.

The new round of negotiations is expected to begin later in the day. An Iranian delegation, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, arrived late on Saturday night.

The talks will also include Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the country’s armed forces chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir. Pakistan has played a mediating role throughout the war and had hosted a previous round of U.S.–Iran negotiations.

“Pakistan will continue to support the implementation of what has been agreed between Iran and the United States,” the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a statement ahead of the talks.

Vance said he hopes there will be progress on “the nuclear issue” as well as “the matter of a ceasefire in Lebanon.”

Speaking to reporters before boarding his flight, he was asked about the clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, as well as Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon, and responded: “Things are improving there and the situation is de-escalating somewhat,” he said, adding: “This is something that will need to be managed continuously to ensure that both Israel and Lebanon are safe. That is essentially our goal—to make the entire region safe and stable.”

Spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry Esmaeil Baghaei said the country will seek “to ensure that the other side honors its commitments.”

Earlier in the week, the presidents of the United States and Iran signed a preliminary agreement aimed at the immediate end of the war, including the Lebanese front. The agreement provides for continued negotiations toward a final deal within the next 60 days.

An additional complicating factor is the ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed organization.

On Saturday, at least 47 people were killed in Lebanon following a series of Israeli airstrikes, according to the country’s Health Ministry.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they struck 80 Hezbollah-linked targets and killed “dozens” of the group’s members.