Iranian Officials Pessimistic on US Deal Before Midterms

The signal here is timing, not substance: Tehran's own read is that the political calendar in Washington, rather than the negotiating file, is what sets the pace. That matters for any market with Iran exposure, from energy to shipping to regional risk premia, because it implies the status quo persists through the vote. The open question is whether the pessimism reflects a genuine dead end or a deliberate lowering of expectations before any post-election re-engagement.