In the ancient calculus of oil and power, even the shadow of diplomacy can move markets. On Tuesday, crude prices edged upward not because peace had arrived, but because its possibility had been whispered — a reminder that energy markets are, at their core, markets of human expectation. The prospect of renewed engagement between Washington and Tehran offered traders a momentary reprieve from the weight of Middle Eastern uncertainty, illustrating how deeply geopolitical hope is woven into the price of a barrel.