Iran deal talks progress, oil prices ease
Oil prices are falling as Iran and the US move toward a deal, which is good for drivers and markets but the agreement looks fragile and sidesteps the bigger issues.
- Oil dropped to around $95 from over $110, with US gas averaging $4.50 over Memorial Day weekend.
- Iranian negotiators are in Qatar for talks, and Trump says negotiations are "proceeding nicely" while still threatening to attack.
- This is an end-of-war deal, not a nuclear deal, with 60 days of talks planned and Iran refusing to give up enriched uranium.
- Critics say Trump's deal is worse than Obama's because Iran now has highly enriched uranium and is getting sanctions relief and oil sales worth billions.
- The talks ignore Gaza, Lebanon, and Israeli settler expansion, which keeps the region unstable no matter what Iran agrees to.
Outlook: A shaky pause in the fighting is likely in the near term, but with core issues unresolved, oil prices could swing back up fast if talks break down.