Brent crude closed at $79.12 per barrel and WTI at $75.32 per barrel on June 22 2026 after Qatari and Pakistani mediators stated that the first round of US-Iran negotiations produced encouraging progress under a memorandum of understanding committing parties to a final accord within 60 days. Asian equity indices rose with the Nikkei 225 reaching an intraday record of 72,831.73. Claims that the memorandum addresses reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and that Iran declared the strait closed remain disputed between Euronews and Reuters.