US-Iran ceasefire talks show signs of progress; Iran considers concessions on nuclear issue; Brent crude falls below $100.

A diplomat familiar with the talks said the US and Iran are nearing a potential breakthrough in efforts to end the war, with Tehran showing willingness to discuss nuclear program-related issues previously off the agenda. The diplomat said Iran is examining a proposal on its nuclear activities put forward by chief mediator Qatar. Any concession on the issue could push the negotiations toward significant progresstalks have been stalled since the temporary peace agreement reached in June collapsed. US President Donald Trump recently spoke with Qatari leaders to discuss efforts to de-escalate tensions, signaling his desire to end the warthe very war that helped Democrats sweep his Republicans in this week's US midterm elections. The Qatari Emir's office said Friday that Trump and Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani discussed Qatar's efforts to bridge differences between the warring parties and secure a comprehensive agreement to end the conflict. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu launched the war by attacking Iran in late February, triggering retaliation by the Islamic Republic against US allies in the Middle East and causing energy prices to soar and global inflation to rise. Talks to end the war have repeatedly collapsed, with Iran demanding that the US lift its naval blockade of its ports and setting out several other conditions for concessions. Trump has long said the war's primary goal is to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons, but since the conflict began, little has been known about the scale of the country's nuclear activities. Although Iran has consistently claimed its nuclear work is strictly for non-military purposes, any commitment allowing greater transparency could be enough to move the peace process forward. Multiple media outlets have previously reported Iran's willingness to compromise on the nuclear issue. Ahead of Tuesday's US midterm elections, Qatari officials had been shuttling between Doha and Tehran to finalize a potential agreement. In the elections, Democrats defeated Trump's Republicans by a landslide, seizing control of Congress. One reason for the reversal was Americans' opposition to the war, partly due to its impact on gasoline prices. After the vote, Trump said he had no immediate plans for new strikes on Iran, and oil prices fell accordingly. Brent crude dropped below $100 a barrel for the first time since September, with investors betting that the Democratic sweep reduced the likelihood of a full resumption of fightingwhich Trump had repeatedly threatened before the vote. In other recent diplomatic moves, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held separate phone calls Thursday with his Saudi and Qatari counterparts to discuss "efforts aimed at achieving regional stability," according to a statement posted on the Iranian foreign minister's official Telegram channel. He also held calls with the foreign ministers of the UAE, Turkey, Kuwait, Cyprus and Jordan. According to a statement posted on the Russian president's website, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Iran's official IRIB reported that Rezaei delivered a letter from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to Putin, without disclosing further details.