• Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has told lawmakers that no nuclear talks with the United States are on the agenda, signaling a halt in diplomatic engagement.
  • The statement comes amid heightened tensions and shifting signals from both sides, with no clear timeline for resuming negotiations.
  • The lack of talks raises uncertainty for global energy markets, as Iran’s nuclear program remains a key factor in oil supply and sanctions risk.

Iran’s top diplomat on Sunday delivered a clear message to parliament: nuclear negotiations with the United States are not currently planned. According to people familiar with the matter, Abbas Araghchi stated that there are no ongoing or scheduled talks, effectively slamming the door on near-term diplomacy — at least for now.

The announcement follows weeks of mixed signals. While some regional outlets had speculated about renewed dialogue, possibly mediated by Oman, Araghchi’s remarks suggest Tehran is unwilling to engage under current conditions. “No nuclear talks are on the agenda with the US,” he said, according to lawmakers who attended the closed session. Attempts to reach the foreign ministry for additional comment were not immediately successful.

For markets, the pause is significant. Iran’s nuclear standoff has long been a wildcard for oil prices, with each twist in diplomacy affecting risk premiums. Without talks, the prospect of sanctions relief — and the return of Iranian crude to global markets — recedes. Brent crude futures held steady on Monday, but analysts warn that any escalation could quickly change that.

The background is complex. Since the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018, efforts to revive the accord have floundered. Indirect talks in Vienna and later in Doha failed to bridge gaps over enrichment limits and sanctions. Araghchi, a seasoned diplomat who helped negotiate the original deal, has previously stressed that any talks must be “dignified” and free of coercion.

Italy’s appeal for international investors in private markets is growing, according to Blackstone’s country Chairman Andrea Valeri. Traditionally a laggard in luring foreign capital, the nation is attracting more investors drawn to its stable regulatory climate and the ingenuity of its entrepreneurs. Increasing regulatory certainty has “improved the perception of people like us that are bringing foreign direct investments into the country,” Valeri said at the Bloomberg’s Future of Finance conference in Milan on Thursday. What “institutional investors like us are really focused on is regulatory stability,” said Valeri, who’s also chief investment officer for Blackstone Credit and Insurance’s private credit business in Europe and APAC. “Italy in this regard has been on a very steady growth trajectory.” While banks remain dominant, Italian companies are now opening up to non-bank lenders, with private credit funds often partnering up with domestic banks to deploy capital. Italy was slightly behind in private credit, said Cecile Mayer-Levi, head of private debt activity at Tikehau Capital SCA (TKO.PA), but partnerships with banks are well established. “We have a constant balance with the banks, which really we consider our partners and not only our binary competitors,” she said. “It’s much more of a convergence between the two solutions.”

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the location of the talks. The talks referenced were not held in Oman; they were hypothetical discussions.