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Araghchi believes US-Iran deal might be reached ‘in coming days’
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said a draft deal with the US would be signed “remotely” once finalised, which may happen “in the coming days”.“We will sign and announce this agreement when we conclude the final stages of our negotiations.” The signing will be electronic initially. Both sides will sign from a distance. “Then it will be announced that this memorandum of understanding has been signed by both parties,” Araghchi said state television in an interview.It is in the next couple of days. “I am very positive.”
There was room for improvement on the pact, he added, but the provisional agreement proved his country had come out of the fight stronger.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran wanted a deal that would allow Tehran to charge ships “for services rendered” when they passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has put a toll system in place throughout the war that the US and other countries contend violates international law.“There will be costs involved,” Araghchi added. “And those costs must be paid.
Hours after those remarks, a source familiar with the incident told Reuters that U.S. forces shot down several Iranian one-way attack drones headed for the Strait of Hormuz. The insider, who agreed to speak only on the condition of anonymity, claimed the drones had been a menace to commercial traffic. Later, U.S. Central Command acknowledged the action and declared the river was available for transit.
Iranian news agencies said there were explosions along the strait from Iran’s Sirik port and Qeshm island, which residents and local officials said were shots fired by Iranian forces to warn off vessels attempting to cross the waterway without permission from the navy of the Revolutionary Guards.
Sources on all sides of the talks stated the planned memorandum of understanding called for re-opening the strait and lifting the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports. Then there’d be talks on Iran’s nuclear program, which President Donald Trump used as the reason for initiating the war.
The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the accord fulfilled Trump’s key goals and placed negotiations “in a very, very good place”.
Western, Pakistani and Iranian reports of the draft proposal included parameters that might play into Iran’s hands, eliciting anger from Trump who dismissed the reports as false.
The suggestions basically gave Tehran much of what it has sought with only small variances in the details, with Trump apparently winning nothing beyond reopening the strait, which Iran closed after the U.S. and Israel strikes in February.
Iran and Oman will keep control of traffic across the strait that before the conflict carried one fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply, Araqchi said.”Our sword will always hang over the Strait of Hormuz,” he declared.
A Western source said the accord may be signed as early as Sunday by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, with Geneva the most likely destination.
The U.S. administration official said Europe had been explored as a venue for signing but no decision had been made.
Latest News
An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.7 occurs close to Naples, Italy, resulting in damage and disruptions.
- A magnitude 4.7 earthquake hit the Campi Flegrei area near the southern Italian city of Naples on Friday, causing power cuts, disrupting train and metro services and damaging some buildings, authorities said.
The quake was registered around 7.46 pm (1746 GMT). Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology stated the epicentre was in the Campi Flegrei area west of Naples at a depth of around 3 km (2 miles).
The Italian fire department said there had been minimal damage to buildings in and around Naples, but workers had not received immediate demands for help or rescue of occupants.
Local rail and metro services were suspended as a precaution, local officials said.
According to Italian media, it was one of the greatest earthquakes ever registered in the region, with people in some areas pouring into the street as the tremors hit.
The government has increased surveillance of the heavily populated volcanic caldera of Campi Flegrei, which spans much of western Naples and has seen growing seismic activity in the past several years.
The region is regularly hit by tiny quakes but greater ones have stoked fears of a repetition of the seismic crisis that rocked Campi Flegrei in the early 1980s, disrupting life across the region and forcing thousands of people from their homes.
Italy is a country at risk of earthquakes.
Central Italy was hit by severe quakes in 2016, destroying areas of Lazio, Umbria and the Marche provinces, killing over 300 people.
The most destructive in recent decades was a 6.9-magnitude quake that rocked the Irpinia region of southern Italy in November 1980, killing over 2,700 people and destroying hundreds of villages.
Business
For three days, Pakistan lowers the price of petrol and diesel.
For a three-day period starting on August 1, the government has announced a slight decrease in the cost of petroleum products, including gasoline and high-speed diesel (HSD).
The Petroleum Division said that the price of high-speed diesel has been lowered by Rs0.66 per litre, resulting in a new retail price of Rs392.38 per litre.
Additionally, the price of gasoline has been lowered by Rs0.12 per litre, to Rs336.03 per litre.
According to the letter, the updated pricing will go into effect between August 1 and August 3.
According to the administration, the little cut was taken after accounting for both domestic economic and budgetary factors as well as global oil costs.
In light of persistent economic pressures and swings in the world’s crude oil markets, the most recent adjustment provides customers with little respite.
The most recent update comes after the government regularly reviews fuel costs, which are decided by the currency rate, domestic tax laws, and global market trends.
Business
FBR surpasses its July revenue goal by Rs40 billion.
In July 2026, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) collected Rs820 billion in net revenue, exceeding the monthly target by Rs40 billion.
The July tax collection target was set at Rs780 billion, but net receipts came in at Rs820 billion, according to FBR documents.
According to the papers, gross tax collections for the month totaled Rs918 billion. Net receipts were Rs820 billion after Rs98 billion of this sum was reimbursed to taxpayers under different refund categories.
Gross collections under the income tax head was Rs343 billion. Net income tax revenues fell short of the objective of Rs323 billion, coming in at Rs308 billion after the payment of Rs35 billion in refunds.
In July, sales tax collections came to Rs413 billion, while sales tax refunds were Rs53 billion.
The Federal Excise Duty (FED) collected Rs48 billion, compared to the objective of Rs47 billion, according to the FBR.
In July 2026, customs duty receipts totaled Rs115 billion, surpassing the designated objective of Rs105 billion by Rs10 billion.
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