00:01As the prospect for de-escalation in the Iran war remains uncertain, oil prices are rising,
00:08with international benchmark for Brent trading above $106 a barrel on Thursday morning.
00:15Leading European indices opened with losses of between 0.4% and 0.8%,
00:20following a sell-off in Asian markets, amid conflicting statements from Iran and Washington
00:26over the progress of diplomatic efforts to end the war.
00:30U.S. President Donald Trump said a deal to end the Iran war is near,
00:34even after Tehran dismissed his 15-point ceasefire plan,
00:37and with thousands of troops on the way to the Middle East, potentially for deployment in Iran.
00:43Iran, which has effectively closed the crucial Strait of Hormuz,
00:47sought to formalize its control over the waterway and impose fees on ships wishing to transit it.
00:53The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf,
00:56is considered an international waterway open to all shipping.
01:00Imposing fees would end that and would likely be strongly opposed by the Gulf Arab states,
01:05the United States and others.
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