Iran abandoned planned nuclear talks with the US in Turkey and proposed limited negotiations in Oman instead, teeing up a tense back-and-forth with Washington that rattled traders Wednesday.
Tehran’s hardball tactics, which came after the US shot down an Iranian drone and Iranian boats tried to block a US-flagged tanker, were aimed at “leaving everyone else off balance,” The Wall Street Journal wrote.
“This is how tinder gets set for crises to spiral,” a historian argued.
The US earlier rejected the change in plans, sparking fears that Washington would resort to military action and sending oil prices up.
Lobbying from Middle East leaders got the Friday meeting back on track, Axios reported, but US officials are skeptical a deal is possible.