PANews reported on March 5th that, according to Sky News Arab Channel, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister stated, "If the United States can provide a satisfactory alternative, Iran is prepared to abandon its nuclear program." Yesterday, reports surfaced that Iran had been secretly contacting the United States to reach an agreement and end the conflict, but Iran subsequently denied these reports as false. In short, these are clear signs of de-escalation, and investors may only need to wait for the United States or Israel to announce that their goals have been achieved to see the market jubilant. Following the Deputy Foreign Minister's comments, the market reacted positively, with stocks jumping and the dollar and oil prices falling.