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OIl prices hold drop as US-Iran signal progress in nuclear talksWest Texas Intermediate was above $62 a barrel, while Brent closed above $67.By CNBC-TV18 February 18, 2026, 6:36:58 AM IST (Published)2 Min ReadOil prices held a decline post positive US-Iran talks over the latter's nuclear programme, paring crude's risk premium.

West Texas Intermediate was above $62 a barrel, while Brent closed above $67.

Tehran said it had reached a “general agreement” with Washington on the terms of a potential deal, while a US official said Iranian negotiators were scheduled to return to Geneva with a new proposal in two weeks.

Crude has pushed higher this year as geopolitical concerns, including the tensions over Iran, outweighed warnings that the global market faces a glut that’ll drag down prices. The standoff in the Islamic Republic — which was rocked by a wave of anti-government protests in January — has fanned concerns among traders that oil output or vital supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz could be affected if there were military clashes.

US Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that talks with Iran went well, but the country has not yet acknowledged President Donald Trump’s red lines.

The apparent diplomatic progress came despite growing military deployments. Iran said on Tuesday it would close part of the Strait of Hormuz – the choke point for energy exports from the world’s top oil-producing region – for several hours due to military drills. The US has sent a second aircraft carrier.

Elsewhere, investors were tracking US-brokered negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, which are also taking place in Geneva. Discussions are set to continue on Wednesday, according to an aide to Kyiv’s lead negotiator. Any resolution to Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor may lead to a roll back of sanctions, potentially boosting oil flows to global markets.

With inputs from BloombergContinue ReadingTagsglobal marketsOiloil marketsOil prices