Islamabad is a city on hold, gripped by the limelight of its own success, host to something potentially historic — and yet at the same locked in by road closures.

NBC News is in Islamabad ahead of potentially decisive new talks between Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s leadership.

The U.S. and Iran are set to engage in new ceasefire talks in Islamabad as a two-week truce nears its expiration. Both sides express readiness for renewed conflict if negotiations fail.

The Nasdaq 100 has rallied slightly during the early hours here on Tuesday, but at the end of the day I think we’re probably somewhat in a form of stasis here as we’re waiting to find out what’s going on in Islamabad and whether or not those talks provide some type of fruitful resolution between the United States and the Iranians.

Iran denies sending negotiators to Islamabad, contradicting US expectations. Iranian media mocks US VP JD Vance with a viral meme, highlighting tensions in US-Iran relations.

Pakistan pressed ahead Tuesday with the groundwork for a second round of talks between Iran and the United States in Islamabad as a fragile ceasefire hung in the balance, even though it remained unclear whether Tehran would send a delegation.

Iran said it has no plans to send negotiators to Pakistan for a new round of talks after the United States seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump urges Iran to free women, warns of strikes as ceasefire nears expiry and US–Iran talks in Islamabad approach.