Iran-US tensions over Strait of Hormuz

The United States has demanded that Iran publicly guarantee the Strait of Hormuz is open and safe for commercial shipping, following a series of attacks on tankers and a collapse of the fragile ceasefire. Washington insists Tehran must vow not to attack vessels transiting the vital waterway, which handles about a fifth of global oil supply. Iran, however, has defied the demand, with its UN ambassador asserting that any arrangement regarding the strait rests exclusively with Iran. The standoff comes after President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire over but agreed to further negotiations, while also warning of an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate him. Media coverage highlights the escalation: the US military has struck Iranian islands and infrastructure in retaliation for Iran's targeting of three tankers, and traffic through the strait has plummeted. Qatari negotiators have attempted to mediate, and Iranian officials are set to meet with Omani counterparts. Concurrently, a separate article from Taipei Times shifts focus to the Taiwan Strait, where a former Japanese security adviser argues that deepening Taiwan-Japan ties is crucial for stability amid Chinese gray-zone activities. This article is loosely related to the broader theme of maritime chokepoint tensions but does not directly address the Iran-US crisis.