Do You Know? Middle Eastern crude exports recovered this month to just under 80% of their pre-conflict level, according to data cited from energy-tracking firm Kpler. The rebound came as U.S. and Iranian officials held separate indirect talks with mediators over a possible ceasefire.
What happened
U.S. and Iranian officials reportedly spoke separately with mediators on Monday, reviving diplomatic efforts to end seven months of war. The discussions focused on a revised ceasefire framework, with Iran pressing for a response from Washington.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Qatari mediators in New York after the United Nations General Assembly. He said he expected a U.S. response by Tuesday and planned to return to Tehran after receiving it.
President Donald Trump said Monday that U.S. officials had also spoken separately with mediators, but he provided no further details. The source reported that Trump had rejected Iran’s earlier proposal on Sunday as “unacceptable.”
What Iran’s proposal includes
According to the report, Iran’s proposal calls for a four- to five-day U.S. timeline to release frozen Iranian funds, lift sanctions on Iranian oil and end the naval blockade of Iranian ports. It also calls for nuclear talks to begin within seven days.
Iran has linked any reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to those steps, the report said. The waterway remains central to regional energy shipments, but traffic through it is still well below its prewar level.
Oil export recovery remains incomplete
Kpler data showed Middle Eastern crude exports at around their highest level since the conflict began in February. The tracking firm said exports were just under 80% of pre-conflict levels.
| Measure | Reported level |
|---|---|
| Middle Eastern crude exports | Just under 80% of pre-conflict levels |
| Strait of Hormuz clearance on Saturday | 10,591 kilobarrels per day |
| Prewar Strait of Hormuz baseline | 17,133 kilobarrels per day |
| U.S. retail diesel price | Near a reported record high of $6.53 per gallon |
Kpler’s real-time tracking showed total clearance through the Strait of Hormuz at 10,591 kilobarrels a day on Saturday, compared with a prewar baseline of 17,133 kilobarrels a day. The figures indicate that the export recovery has not returned shipping activity to normal.
Possible U.S. diesel export ban
The unresolved standoff is also affecting U.S. fuel markets, with retail diesel prices reported to be near a record high of $6.53 a gallon.
The Trump administration was again considering an export ban, according to the report, days after distancing itself from an earlier version of the plan. Kpler estimated that an outright diesel export ban by Washington would keep roughly 1.2 million barrels a day in the United States and could risk overwhelming Gulf Coast storage.
That figure is an estimate from Kpler, not a confirmed policy outcome. The source did not report that a final export ban had been adopted.
What happens next
Iran was awaiting a U.S. response to its ceasefire framework, while the diplomatic discussions remained indirect and mediated. The source did not report a completed agreement or a confirmed reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Bottom Line
Diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran resumed as regional crude exports recovered from wartime disruption. However, Strait of Hormuz traffic remained materially below its prewar level, and uncertainty over sanctions, shipping access and a possible U.S. diesel export ban continued to weigh on fuel markets.
Source
This report is based on information published by CNBC Business.
