Oman and Iran will study the future administration of the Strait of Hormuz and the costs to be charged for services provided, they said in a joint statement Tuesday, insisting on sovereignty over the vital waterway.
The two countries emphasized "their sovereignty and sovereign rights over their territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz" and "agreed to maintain their dialogue on this issue through a joint working group between the two foreign ministries in order to reach agreement on the future administration of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the services that will be provided in this regard and the costs associated with them in accordance with international standards".
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Global shares mostly declined on Tuesday as recent enthusiasm cooled and markets faced uncertainty about efforts to end the war in Iran.
France's CAC 40 dipped 1.0% in early trading to 8,313.86, while the German DAX fell 1.6% to 24,746.63. Britain's FTSE 100 declined 0.6% to 10,379.26. U.S. shares were set to drift lower with Dow futures down 0.7% at 51,774.00. S&P 500 futures fell 1.5% to 7,429.25.
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Ship traffic has picked up in the Strait of Hormuz since Iran and the U.S. signed an interim deal to end a war that constricted global oil supplies and fueled inflation, but questions surrounding control of the vital waterway and whether vessels will be charged tolls to cross it could interfere with negotiations to forge a lasting peace.
Tehran and Washington clashed over the Strait of Hormuz again this past weekend. Citing Israel's latest attacks on Lebanon, Iran declared that it reclosed the strait. The U.S. was quick to contest that. Maritime tracking data showed that dozens of ships passed through on Saturday and Sunday, though far fewer than the daily average before the war.
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Trading is mixed early Monday and oil prices edged lower on fresh optimism over progress in U.S.-Iran negotiations.
Futures for the S&P 500 inched back 0.1% before the opening bell, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average were unchanged. Nasdaq futures ticked up 0.1%.
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Lebanon's central bank on Saturday condemned a "direct and deliberate" Israeli attack on one of its branches in the southern city of Nabatieh, where Israel had intensified its strikes despite a ceasefire.
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President Joseph Aoun said Thursday that the latest war has disrupted the economic, financial, administrative, and judicial reforms in Lebanon.
"Lebanon does not need financial aid but investments," he said.
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World shares were mixed on Thursday, with benchmarks in Japan and South Korea setting fresh records, after the U.S. and Iran signed their initial agreement ending the war.
The rally in Asia followed a retreat Wednesday on Wall Street driven by speculation the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates this year to curb inflation.
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Iran will immediately take steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz once a tentative deal with the U.S. to end the war is signed and will be allowed to sell its oil without restrictions, according to leaked copies of an interim agreement that officials say broadly matches the document.
The accord, due to be formally signed in a ceremony in Switzerland on Friday, lays out that the U.S. would secure at least $300 billion to rebuild Iran after the war and work to end all American and United Nations sanctions imposed on Tehran if a final agreement addressing Iran's nuclear program is reached.
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For nearly two years, beekeeper Salim Sharaf has been unable to reach about 150 of his 200 beehives near the southern Lebanese border village of Mari.
The hives remain in an area where Israeli troops are present, leaving Sharaf uncertain whether the colonies survived, were destroyed during the fighting or dispersed after being left unattended.
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World share prices soared Monday after a tentative deal was announced on ending the Iran war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices fell more than $4 a barrel.
The future for the S&P 500 was up 1.2% and that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1%, auguring likely early gains for Wall Street.
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