TEHRAN — Iran’s currency and stocks have risen sharply since talks began with the U.S. over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program last Saturday, indicating optimism for moves toward a resolution and raising the stakes for the Iranian negotiating team ahead of a second meeting this weekend.
Iran’s benchmark TEDPIX stock index has climbed 7.3% since early April. The rial has surged 17% to 880,000 against the dollar since news emerged of talks with the U.S. on April 6. Iran controls the official value of the rial — at around 578,721 to the dollar this week — but in reality, the currency trades well below that level.
