Oil Prices Continue to Rise Amid Stalled Washington-Tehran Talks and Ongoing Hormuz Navigation Disruptions

 Oil prices extended their gains today, Thursday, April 23, 2026, with Brent crude rising 1.28% to $103.21 per barrel, while WTI climbed to $94.43. This surge follows the deadlock in peace talks between the United States and Iran and escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, which is witnessing mutual trade restrictions and tanker seizures. Reports indicated that the U.S. military's interception of Iranian tankers and a larger-than-expected decline in U.S. gasoline inventories have pushed prices to their highest levels in weeks.