06:33 AM EDT, 03/24/2026 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with Israeli-US strikes on Iran's gas facilities in the third paragraph.)
Crude oil futures climbed Tuesday morning after Iran denied holding negotiations with the US, contradicting comments by President Donald Trump and reviving concerns about disruptions to Middle East crude supplies.
Brent crude rose 1% to $96.86 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate gained 2% to $89.61 in the early trading hours.
Oil markets had fallen sharply a day earlier after Trump said he postponed potential strikes on Iran's power plants by five days following what he described as "productive" talks. Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, later said no talks had taken place.
Iran's Fars News Agency reported Tuesday, according to multiple reports, that gas infrastructure in Isfahan and near Khorramshahr was struck in alleged joint Israeli-US attacks, hours after Trump stepped back from threats to target Iran's power infrastructure.