Hormuz shipping traffic halts again

The brief window of optimism for global energy markets has slammed shut as the Strait of Hormuz returns to a state of total closure.

Audio recordings have emerged of a ship captain pleading with the Iranian navy to allow his vessel to turn back under fire.

Iran's top negotiators maintain that it is impossible for others to pass through the strategic chokepoint while their own ports are under siege.

The standoff has caused a historic supply shock, leaving hundreds of tankers trapped and threatening to drive global fuel prices even higher.