indefinitely, renewing concerns about crude oil supplies. The move came after prices fell in the previous session on expectations of weaker global demand.
اضافة اعلان
Brent crude futures rose 9 cents, or 0.1%, to $87.16 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures gained 4 cents to $81.29 a barrel.
Both contracts fell more than 2% in the previous session, giving back some of their gains following six consecutive sessions of increases for Brent and five for WTI. Nevertheless, both were still heading for weekly gains of around 4%.
The United States said on Thursday that it could continue its naval blockade of Iran indefinitely and would intensify economic pressure on Tehran amid stalled ceasefire talks.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: “Look for more announcements next week, because we will impose measures unprecedented in the history of economic isolation of any country.”
The latest U.S. threats come as Iran continues to restrict maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of the world’s oil passed before the conflict. The restrictions have driven up fuel prices and increased pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump to end a war that is unpopular domestically.
The Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported that two tankers belonging to Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the state-owned oil company, were attacked while transiting the strait on Thursday. The UAE government condemned what it described as an “aggressive Iranian attack.”
