The US and Iran have agreed on a 60-day roadmap towards a final settlement and set up a de-confliction mechanism to preserve the ceasefire in Lebanon, with Tehran describing the arrangement as the first real test of the fragile peace process.The first round of high-level negotiations under the June 18 Islamabad Memorandum concluded at Burgenstock in Switzerland with mediators Qatar and Pakistan announcing “encouraging progress” and the creation of mechanisms aimed at steering the two adversaries towards a comprehensive agreement.Under the understandings reached at the Lake Lucerne Summit, the parties agreed to establish a high-level committee to provide political oversight to the mediation process and supervise working groups dealing with nuclear issues, sanctions, monitoring and dispute resolution.The committee also approved a roadmap to reach a final agreement within 60 days, paving the way for immediate technical negotiations that are set to continue through the week.Significantly, the parties agreed to establish a communication channel to prevent incidents and miscalculations in the Strait of Hormuz and ensure safe passage for commercial vessels through one of the world’s most vital energy corridors.Another key outcome was the creation of a de-confliction cell involving the US, Iran and Lebanon, facilitated by Qatar and Pakistan, to oversee compliance with the cessation of hostilities envisaged under the memorandum.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi hailed the developments, saying the mediation efforts by Pakistan and Qatar had yielded “major progress” towards ending the conflict. He said restrictions on Iranian oil and petrochemical exports had been lifted, some frozen assets had been released and a major reconstruction and development plan had been launched for Iran.Calling the newly established Lebanon mechanism a critical milestone, Araghchi said, “1st real test: Lebanon deconfliction cell.”The joint statement issued by Qatar and Pakistan said chief negotiators would report regularly to the high-level committee and lead specialised working groups focused on nuclear issues, sanctions and mechanisms to ensure effective implementation of the Islamabad Memorandum.The mediators also announced the establishment of a direct communication line between the parties for the duration envisaged under the agreement in a bid to avoid misunderstandings and guarantee freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.Technical-level discussions on all outstanding issues are expected to continue at the Burgenstock resort for the remainder of the week.Qatar and Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining the diplomatic momentum and thanked Washington and Tehran for their continued commitment to diplomacy and a peaceful resolution of the conflict.The latest round of negotiations marks the first major institutional framework put in place since the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum on June 18 and comes days after Iran had insisted that implementation of the ceasefire in Lebanon was a prerequisite for entering talks on a permanent agreement.