Conflicting claims over the status of the Strait of Hormuz have reignited uncertainty just days after the United States and Iran announced an interim agreement aimed at easing regional tensions.
Iran says it has once again shut the strategically vital waterway, while US officials insist commercial shipping continues to pass through the strait, with vessel tracking data indicating tanker traffic has not come to a halt.
The dispute comes at a sensitive moment for diplomacy, with US and Iranian officials expected to hold technical-level talks in Switzerland as part of efforts to build on the interim agreement announced earlier this week.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most strategically significant shipping routes, linking the Persian Gulf with global markets.
