Vice President JD Vance, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are meeting with an Iranian delegation in Islamabad, Pakistan. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the U.S. was "now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz.

Follow live coverage from NBC News of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, the Strait of Hormuz, Trump's blockade, peace talks and the Israel-Lebanon war.

The standoff between the United States and Iran deepened Tuesday as the U.S. declared it had blockaded Iran's ports, Tehran threatened to strike targets across the region, and Pakistan said it was racing to bring the sides together for more talks.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says he will visit Saudi Arabia and Turkiye this week as his bid to moderate a second round of peace talks between the United States and Iran appears to gather momentum.

A report has disclosed a secret defence agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, potentially involving Islamabad in the broader Middle East conflict., Middle East, Times Now

Failure to reach a deal throws ceasefire into doubt and raises questions about reopening the Strait of Hormuz as global energy supplies continue to be throttled.

After failed US-Iran talks in Islamabad, efforts are underway for a second round before the April 21 ceasefire deadline, with Pakistan offering to host and Geneva considered, even as tensions rise following a US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

American and Iranian officials are reportedly considering a second round of negotiations after a marathon weekend session failed to reach a deal.