Iran’s Araghchi says if US wants deal or peace, Tehran has offered solution

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that Tehran discussed proposals with Qatari mediators that are to be put to the United States (US), IRNA reported. He added that the US response will be conveyed to Iran through the Qatari mediators.

Araghchi stated that the conditions stressed by Iran's Supreme Leader must be implemented for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen, adding that if the US wants an agreement or a peaceful solution, Iran has already presented one.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump denied an Axios report that he provided Iran sanctions relief and released frozen Iranian funds in return for concrete Iranian steps on the nuclear program.

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Key quotes

Tehran discussed proposals with Qatari mediators to present to US. 

US response to be relayed to Tehran through Qatari mediators.

Conditions set by supreme leader must be met for Strait of Hormuz to reopen. 

If US wants deal or peace, Iran has offered solution. 

Hopes US final answer through Qatari mediators by Tuesday, IRNA reports. 

Tehran held talks with Qatari mediators on ways to meet Iran's demands. 

Qatari mediators to present ideas to US side. 

Qatari and Pakistani mediation channels intensify after Iran unveils plan. 

Market reaction

At the time of writing, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is up 0.43% on the day at $91.75.

WTI Oil FAQs

WTI Oil is a type of Crude Oil sold on international markets. The WTI stands for West Texas Intermediate, one of three major types including Brent and Dubai Crude. WTI is also referred to as “light” and “sweet” because of its relatively low gravity and sulfur content respectively. It is considered a high quality Oil that is easily refined. It is sourced in the United States and distributed via the Cushing hub, which is considered “The Pipeline Crossroads of the World”. It is a benchmark for the Oil market and WTI price is frequently quoted in the media.

Like all assets, supply and demand are the key drivers of WTI Oil price. As such, global growth can be a driver of increased demand and vice versa for weak global growth. Political instability, wars, and sanctions can disrupt supply and impact prices. The decisions of OPEC, a group of major Oil-producing countries, is another key driver of price. The value of the US Dollar influences the price of WTI Crude Oil, since Oil is predominantly traded in US Dollars, thus a weaker US Dollar can make Oil more affordable and vice versa.

The weekly Oil inventory reports published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Energy Information Agency (EIA) impact the price of WTI Oil. Changes in inventories reflect fluctuating supply and demand. If the data shows a drop in inventories it can indicate increased demand, pushing up Oil price. Higher inventories can reflect increased supply, pushing down prices. API’s report is published every Tuesday and EIA’s the day after. Their results are usually similar, falling within 1% of each other 75% of the time. The EIA data is considered more reliable, since it is a government agency.

OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is a group of 12 Oil-producing nations who collectively decide production quotas for member countries at twice-yearly meetings. Their decisions often impact WTI Oil prices. When OPEC decides to lower quotas, it can tighten supply, pushing up Oil prices. When OPEC increases production, it has the opposite effect. OPEC+ refers to an expanded group that includes ten extra non-OPEC members, the most notable of which is Russia.