Oil drops to fresh three-month low as markets weigh US-Iran peace deal

Crude oil fell to its lowest level in three months as traders responded to reports of progress in US-Iran nuclear negotiations, which if concluded would lift sanctions and allow Iran to legally export an estimated 1-1.5 million barrels per day back into the global market. The move reflects a genuine supply shock risk — Iranian oil has been trading at deep discounts through back-channels, and legalization of those flows would formalize and expand that overhang at a time when OPEC+ is already navigating fragile quota discipline.

The key question is whether a deal actually closes and on what timeline — past US-Iran negotiations have broken down repeatedly at the final stage, meaning today's price action may be pricing in more certainty than is warranted. Watch for official statements from the IAEA and US State Department as the next concrete catalyst; a breakdown in talks could trigger a sharp reversal in crude, while confirmation of a framework agreement would likely accelerate selling in energy equities and oil futures.