Trump said on July 27 that 'Iran's leadership requested a meeting through their surrogates and directly,' adding that 'if the talks succeed, they could lead to a good deal.' U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz said dialogue was underway 'at every level, from the technical to the highest.'

A signal to talk, and continued strikes

Even so, Trump reaffirmed that the June 17 ceasefire had lapsed. Amid tit-for-tat blows, U.S. strikes tied to Iran ran a 13th consecutive night, and he warned of 'very powerful military action' if negotiations fail.

The White House says it is giving talks 'some space.' Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are said to be leading the U.S. side, with the format and timing of any resumption still being worked out.

Why markets moved

As hopes rose, markets moved first. With the U.S. and Iran pausing mutual attacks over the weekend, oil eased, the Dow jumped more than 600 points intraday, European bourses closed higher, and Taiwan index futures reclaimed 44,000 overnight.

But the relief is conditional. With strikes continuing and no confirmed ceasefire, a stumble in talks could jolt oil and equities again. Energy and shipping, sensitive to Middle East tensions, remain in a volatile band.

A view from the peninsula and the Chinese community

Oil and currency swings from the Middle East feed directly into Korean prices, import costs and the remittance burden on Chinese families here. Seoul has said it will keep price caps and fuel-tax cuts until oil stabilizes, tying the talks to everyday costs.

A third lens

We see this not as a binary of 'war or peace' but as a hybrid moment where strikes and talks proceed together. With a request for a meeting and a declared end to the ceasefire arriving side by side, we lay out the facts rather than lean on either side's win-loss narrative.