India, Sept. 24 -- Sensex and Nifty opened sharply lower on Thursday after oil prices rose above $100 a barrel in the previous session following Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's comments at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) that Tehran will never surrender to US pressure.

At 9:16 am on Thursday, BSE Sensex traded at 74,240.87, about 600 points or 0.79 per cent lower. Of the 30 Sensex firms, only two - Tech Mahindra and Sun Pharma - were in green. By 9:50 am, the drop was of over 600 points.

Iran and the United States remain divided over how to bring an end to their war, but diplomacy must continue, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, market focus is on the listing of India's biggest bourse, the National St...