NEW YORK: Ship traffic has picked up in the Strait of Hormuz since Iran and the US 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 US was quick to contest that.

Conflicting claims about the Strait of Hormuz's status arise after a US-Iran agreement.

Ship traffic slows in the Strait of Hormuz as US-Iran tensions rise, conflicting claims cloud oil flows, and energy markets brace for potential disruption.