Trump envoy and Iran foreign minister head to Switzerland for talks

The personal envoy of US President Donald Trump and Iran's foreign minister are heading to Switzerland for talks to turn this week's interim 14-point peace deal into a final agreement.

This despite Israel's renewed strikes against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon are stoking tensions

after a truce was reached between the two parties. During the unveiling ceremony of the new Air Force One, Trump praised the US military achievement in the Iran war and claimed that ships are "pouring out" of the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump says "I mean, we have the greatest military anywhere in the world.

And you saw that in Iran, where in one week, virtually, we knocked out their entire Navy, their entire Air Force, their anti-missile weapons, their radar. We knocked out everything."

The memorandum of understanding signed earlier this week requires the US, Iran and their allies to declare an immediate termination of hostilities on all fronts. The US president said he envisioned a finalised peace deal with Tehran that is going to be "very good."

"And now we have an agreement that was signed last night. And it's 60 days, have to make a deal otherwise we will do things that won't make them happy. But I don't think it's going to get to that. I think it is going to be very good."

He also expressed appreciation to President Xi Jinping for not getting involved in the war, and thanked Middle Eastern leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, as well as Israel for fighting alongside the US.

The Swiss foreign ministry indicated it is ready to facilitate the upcoming high-stakes talks in the country and preparatory work continued. According to a report by American news website Axios, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is en route to Switzerland to join Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, while Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araqchi would travel there on Saturday.

Israel, which was left out of the talks, says it is not a party to the agreement. A heavy exchange of fire killed 47 people in Lebanon and four Israeli soldiers in the latest conflict. AP footage shows destroyed villages on the side of the road on the way to Ain Ebel following a humanitarian convoy organised by the Order of Malta through Naqoura, Dahira, Ramia, and Debel.

On Friday, officials said Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah agreed to a truce to end the fighting that threatened to undermine the interim pact between the US and Iran. But plumes of smoke were still rising inside southern Lebanon including near the historical Beaufort Castle.

Israeli artillery shelled the southern city of Nabatiyeh and its outskirts early Saturday, killing at least seven people and wounded others. Citing sources, Axios reported that Araqchi's trip to Switzerland could still change due to Israel's continued attacks in Lebanon.