President Donald Trump pulled Vice President JD Vance off peace talks with Iran on Thursday, declaring on Truth Social that “we don’t need a deal with Iran” because the US holds “Hundreds of Billions of Dollars” of Iranian funds and controls the Strait of Hormuz. Trump directed Vance to instead devote his “complete and total attention” to alleged crime and corruption in Democratic-led states including California, Minnesota and Illinois. Brent crude rose as much as 3% past $94 a barrel and WTI climbed toward $88 on the news, erasing earlier losses.
The reversal came a day after the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had authorized Vance to lead negotiations and that Vance was weighing face to face talks with Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Rezaei on Wednesday dismissed reports of negotiations or a meeting in Qatar as “lies and fabrication intended to ease economic pressure and lower oil prices,” saying Tehran had rejected Washington’s initial response to its seven conditions, which include lifting the US naval blockade, unfreezing assets and easing sanctions.

