CRUDE WRAP: WTI (Z6) SETTLES USD 0.81 LOWER AT 86.04/BBL; BRENT (F7) SETTLES USD 1.08 LOWER AT 91.49/BBL

The crude complex was lower amid continued optimism over a breakthrough in US-Iran peace talks. Crude benchmarks tested session lows on Tuesday after Al Hadath, citing sources, reported that Iran agreed to US demands to cut its levels of highly enriched uranium. This is in keeping with Monday’s reports that Washington has allowed uranium enrichment inside Iran at 3.67%, which Tehran has agreed to. Amid plenty of headline newsflow, WTI and Brent later rose to session highs of USD 86.93/bbl and USD 92.84/bbl, respectively, after Iran’s Security Chief Rezaei said Iran had asked the US for a clear and explicit response to its conditions but said Iran has not received one to date, according to Al Mayadeen. Rezaei added that the Strait of Hormuz will not open until Iran’s conditions are met, and that US claims of ongoing negotiations and a Qatar meeting are false. Oil moved higher as his comments poured cold water on the recent positive US-Iran rhetoric. Most recently, the Jerusalem Post reported that Qatari PM Al Thani told G7 Foreign Ministers in Paris that Doha had secured “at least two weeks” to pursue diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching an understanding between Washington and Tehran, but added that significant differences remain, with several key issues still unresolved. Elsewhere, Ukraine-Russia trilateral talks finished for the day and are set to continue on Wednesday. In the November EIA STEO, the agency kept its 2026 world oil demand forecast unchanged at 102.4mln bpd and cut its 2027 forecast to 104.4mln bpd from 104.6mln bpd. Looking ahead, private inventory data are due after-hours.