By Saad Sayeed, Ariba Shahid and Steve Holland ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON, April 24 (Reuters) - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Friday to discuss proposals for restarting peace talks with the U.

Tensions in the standoff between the U.S. and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz intensified Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump said he ordered the U.S. military to “shoot and kill” Iranian small boats in the strait,

A fragile truce in Lebanon has been extended by three weeks after Israeli and Lebanese representatives met at the White House. The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is among the key sticking points in US-Iran peace efforts.

As Pakistan works to broker peace between the U.S. and Iran, many Pakistanis are watching closely to see whether the diplomatic boost will translate into improvements at home.

With the U.S. and Iranian delegations gone from Islamabad and the cease-fire uncertain, Pakistan faces its own economic and diplomatic challenges.

The streets of Islamabad have been emptied by a sudden two-day public holiday, declared to enforce a strict security lockdown in the Pakistani capital.

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

With deep spiritual ties to Iran, Pakistan’s minority Shiites are angry about the killing of Iran’s top clerics in U.S.-Israeli strikes, complicating Pakistan’s role as mediator.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said that Trump issued a 90-day extension to the Jones Act waiver, making it easier for non-American vessels to transport oil and natural gas in the wake of the Iran War.