Agressive Diplomacy

Trump’s claims of progress with Iran helped calm oil markets — until overnight U.S. strikes exposed the widening gap between diplomacy and reality.

For weeks, Donald Trump has insisted that the United States was making progress toward ending its confrontation with Iran. He spoke confidently about negotiations, hinted at breakthroughs, and projected the image of a leader steering the region away from war. Markets responded exactly as expected: oil prices eased, investor anxiety softened, and hopes f…