IRAN

Amid stepped-up Ukraine-related western sanctions on Russia, Moscow has been stirring up talk of a major deal to buy Iranian oil: a deal that would seemingly be in violation of US and EU sanctions on Iran. With a resolution to its long-running nuclear dispute seemingly in sight, Iran is pouring cold water on such talk.

Iran’s Oil Ministry this week flatly denied signing an agreement to supply oil to Russia, on the back of conflicting reports coming out of Moscow as to whether or...