US-Iran diplomatic process is paused without Iran response; Vance trip to Pakistan on hold

Vance will depart for Islamabad on Wednesday morning - CNN. Vance will depart to Pakistan Wednesday morning - CNN The US delegation will depart on Wednesday morning, according to CNN. That's a big sign that they've worked out the differences with Iran. Risk assets are higher on the headline. Update: The report says he's 'expected' to leave Wednesday morning so it's a bit less definitive. What's tricky here is that we aren't clear on when the ceasefire will end, with reports in Pakistan saying 7:50 pm tonight while Trump himself said yesterday it was tomorrow evening. Update 2: A second report from Axios says that Iran privately signalled yesterday it would attend the meetings but today indicated it would not. More details of the Axios report: The main sticking point is Iran's internal divide over whether to negotiate while the US naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in place, with the Revolutionary Guards reportedly pushing a harder line. Iran's Foreign Ministry said no decision had been made on sending a delegation, and the team was awaiting approval from the supreme leader. Vance, along with envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, remained in Washington as of midday Tuesday. A government plane originally scheduled to fly Witkoff and Kushner from Miami to Islamabad never departed. Pakistani, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators spent Monday pressing Iran to come to the table, and Pakistan's foreign minister urged both sides to extend the ceasefire and "give dialogue and diplomacy a chance." Late Monday there were signs Iran would participate, but by Tuesday morning the Iranians were stalling again.