Asian stock markets fell on Thursday, weighed down by declines in technology shares, while investors watched the progress of negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, oil prices remained almost unchanged in the range of $70 per barrel.

Reuters, citing a senior Iranian source and two regional officials, reported that a proposed agreement between the Islamic Republic and Oman would hand Iran control over incoming ships to the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, analysts believe the Islamic Republic still has important levers in the negotiations and that, in any new agreement, it is likely to demand further concessions from the United States.