US President Donald Trump hinted about a possible nuclear deal with Iran during a business roundtable in Doha, Qatar. AP Photo
US President Donald Trump hinted about a possible nuclear deal with Iran during a business roundtable in Doha, Qatar. AP Photo
US President Donald Trump hinted about a possible nuclear deal with Iran during a business roundtable in Doha, Qatar. AP Photo
US President Donald Trump hinted about a possible nuclear deal with Iran during a business roundtable in Doha, Qatar. AP Photo

Oil prices fall more than 3% on Iran nuclear deal prospects


Fareed Rahman
  • English
  • Arabic

Oil prices fell by more than 3 per cent on Thursday on expectations of a possible nuclear deal between the US and Iran that could result in Tehran boosting oil supply to the market if sanctions are eased.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said Washington was close to reaching a deal with Tehran.

Brent, the benchmark for two thirds of the world's oil, was down 3.63 per cent at 1.55pm UAE time to $63.69 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate, the gauge that tracks US crude, was trading 3.86 per cent lower at $60.71 a barrel.

“The news that Iran is ready to curtail its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief is weighing on oil prices for the second session,” Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank, said.

“The barrel of US crude eased below the $61.50 per barrel level this morning on the back of rising Iranian supply prospects – which add to Opec’s oil restoration plans – versus a fragile improvement in demand prospects.”

A top Iranian official on Wednesday said Iran could accept curbs on its nuclear programme and forego highly enriched uranium in exchange for a deal that would see sanctions lifted.

Ali Shamkhani, adviser to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said that Tehran could agree to never develop nuclear weapons, give up stockpiles of highly enriched uranium and allow inspectors to nuclear sites if economic sanctions were lifted.

When asked if Iran would be willing to sign an agreement with the Trump administration, if sanctions were lifted immediately, Mr Shamkhani said “yes”, in a conversation with NBC News.

Iran is Opec’s third-largest oil producer, with an output of 3.3 million barrels per day as of April, according to the latest monthly oil market report by the oil producers group.

If a deal is reached between the two countries, it could lead to a boost in supply from Iran, based on the possibility of sanctions relief.

Opec+ plans to boost output in anticipation of higher demand is also weighing on oil prices.

Earlier this month, the alliance of producers including Saudi Arabia and Russia agreed to increase production by 411,000 bpd for a second month in a row in June after the group decided to add the same volume of oil to the market in May.

Oil prices remained volatile this year amid the announcement of new tariffs, Iran nuclear talks and tariff negotiations between China and the US, the world's two largest economies.

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1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details

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8.50pm: Emirates Sky Cargo (TB), Dh92,500 (D)1,400m
9.15pm: Emirates.com (TB), Dh95,000 (D), 2,000m

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From exhibitions to the battlefield

In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.

It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.

It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.

It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.

Company Profile 

Founder: Omar Onsi

Launched: 2018

Employees: 35

Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)

Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners

JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
%3Cp%3EGoogle%20wasn't%20new%20to%20busting%20out%20April%20Fool's%20jokes%3A%20before%20the%20Gmail%20%22prank%22%2C%20it%20tricked%20users%20with%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Farchive.google%2Fmentalplex%2F%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%3Emind-reading%20MentalPlex%20responses%3C%2Fa%3E%20and%20said%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Farchive.google%2Fpigeonrank%2F%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%3E%20well-fed%20pigeons%20were%20running%20its%20search%20engine%20operations%3C%2Fa%3E%20.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIn%20subsequent%20years%2C%20they%20announced%20home%20internet%20services%20through%20your%20toilet%20with%20its%20%22%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Farchive.google%2Ftisp%2Finstall.html%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%3Epatented%20GFlush%20system%3C%2Fa%3E%22%2C%20made%20us%20believe%20the%20Moon's%20surface%20was%20made%20of%20cheese%20and%20unveiled%20a%20dating%20service%20in%20which%20they%20called%20founders%20Sergey%20Brin%20and%20Larry%20Page%20%22%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Farchive.google%2Fromance%2Fpress.html%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%3EStanford%20PhD%20wannabes%3C%2Fa%3E%20%22.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EBut%20Gmail%20was%20all%20too%20real%2C%20purportedly%20inspired%20by%20one%20%E2%80%93%20a%20single%20%E2%80%93%20Google%20user%20complaining%20about%20the%20%22poor%20quality%20of%20existing%20email%20services%22%20and%20born%20%22%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fgooglepress.blogspot.com%2F2004%2F04%2Fgoogle-gets-message-launches-gmail.html%22%20target%3D%22_blank%22%3Emillions%20of%20M%26amp%3BMs%20later%3C%2Fa%3E%22.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Why are you, you?

Why are you, you?
From this question, a new beginning.
From this question, a new destiny.
For you are a world, and a meeting of worlds.
Our dream is to unite that which has been
separated by history.
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A great story unites us all,
beyond colour and creed and gender.
The lightning flash of art
And the music of the heart.
We reflect all cultures, all ways.
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Universal ideals, visions of art and truth.
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new answers are given wings.

Why are you, you?
Because we are mirrors of each other.
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We connect, we inspire, we multiply illuminations
with the unique light of art.

 Ben Okri,

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RESULT

Copa del Rey, semi-final second leg

Real Madrid 0
Barcelona 3 (Suarez (50', 73' pen), Varane (69' OG)

RESULT

Wolves 1 (Traore 67')

Tottenham 2 (Moura 8', Vertonghen 90 1')

Man of the Match: Adama Traore (Wolves)

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
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  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company%20profile
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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Expert input

If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?

“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett

“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche

“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox

“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite

 “I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy

“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra

Updated: May 15, 2025, 10:50 AM`