Tokyo May 15 2025: Oil prices slipped on Thursday on expectations for a U.S.-Iran nuclear deal that could result in sanctions being eased and more barrels released onto the global market.
Brent crude futures were down $1.96, or 2.97%, to $64.13 a barrel at 11:17 a.m. EDT (1517 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down $1.96, or 3.1%, at $61.19.
The both benchmarks lost about 0.8% on Wednesday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the U.S. was getting very close to securing a nuclear deal with Iran, and Tehran had “sort of” agreed to the terms.
An Iranian official told NBC News in an interview published on Wednesday that Iran was willing to agree to a deal with the U.S. in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
“(Any) immediate sanctions relief stemming from a nuclear agreement could unlock an additional 0.8 million barrels per day of Iranian crude for the global market – an undeniably bearish development for prices,” SEB analyst Ole Hvalbye said.
Washington issued sanctions on Wednesday to target Iranian efforts to domestically manufacture components for ballistic missiles, the U.S. Treasury Department said, following Tuesday’s sanctions on some 20 companies in a network that it said has long sent Iranian oil to China.
