05:40 AM EDT, 04/15/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Crude oil prices saw gains on Wednesday amid uncertainty about the outcome of renewed talks between the U.S. and Iran to end the war in the Middle East.

Brent crude at last look rose 1.5% to US$96.24/barrel and West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 1.2% to $92.46/barrel. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed due to the war, affecting global crude supply.

U.S. President Donald Trump said talks with Iran could resume this week, Reuters said in a Wednesday report. This comes even as the U.S. has implemented a blockade of Iranian ports.

"The trajectory of oil prices will likely hinge less on battlefield developments and more on diplomatic momentum. Markets are increasingly reacting to headlines around negotiations rather than troop deployments," Reuters quoted Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova, as saying.