Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are traveling to Pakistan to resume nuclear talks with Iran, as the diplomatic channel opens for a new round of negotiations. Iran's foreign minister has already arrived in Pakistan, according to Iranian state media. He is believed to be carrying a written Iranian response to a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the standoff over Iran's nuclear program. The meeting marks a notable step in the back-and-forth between Washington and Tehran. A written response from Iran suggests the talks have moved past early positioning and into a more formal exchange of terms, though no deal has been announced. The core dispute centers on how far Iran must roll back its nuclear activity and what sanctions relief the U.S. would offer in return. Both sides have held preliminary rounds but have not yet bridged their differences on key conditions. Watch for whether Iran's written response accepts, rejects, or modifies the core U.S. terms. The outcome of this Pakistan meeting could determine whether negotiations accelerate or stall heading into a more sensitive phase.
Qatar's foreign ministry said mediators including Qatar, Pakistan, and Oman have reached "very progressive stages" in efforts to end the US-Iran war, pushing Brent crude down more than four percent.
Qatar confirmed it is mediating between the US and Iran but said no direct talks are currently planned. The clarification follows conflicting statements from President Trump, who claimed talks are under way, and Tehran, which denied any dialogue is happening.
Saudi Aramco reported sharply higher second-quarter 2026 profits as the Iran war restricts global oil supply and pushes crude prices up. Other oil supermajors also posted outsized earnings, raising concerns about sustained fuel cost pressure for importing economies.
President Trump called current Iran negotiations the "last chance" to end five months of conflict, pushing oil prices higher. Tehran denied formal talks are taking place, raising the risk of a diplomatic breakdown with direct consequences for global energy markets.
