Diplomacy Falters as Hormuz Crisis Edges Toward Escalation

The latest exchange between Washington and Tehran over a proposed path toward de-escalation has raised new questions about what comes next in the growing crisis around the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump described Iran’s latest response to a US-backed proposal as “totally unacceptable,” even as both sides continue to signal interest in negotiations over sanctions relief, nuclear restrictions, and the future of shipping through the strategic waterway. Analysts in Washington say the standoff is increasingly testing assumptions…