Oil eased, but stayed above $68 a barrel on Thursday, after Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said differences with the European Union over its nuclear program were gradually narrowing.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari arrived in Tehran Wednesday afternoon to encourage Tehran to attend the upcoming Iraq security talks in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad voiced his country’s inclination to develop ties with different American and African countries.