Oil prices rose for a fourth consecutive session on Wednesday as the U.S.-Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz showed few signs of easing, raising expectations that global supplies could remain tight in the coming months. Brent futures rose 0.3% to $91.33 a barrel by 09:26 ET (13:26 GMT), while West Texas Intermediate futures gained 0.4% to $85.27. Both benchmarks traded near three-week highs. Tanker traffic through the strategic waterway has declined amid uncertainty linked to the ongoing Iran war, with six commodity vessels crossing on Tuesday compared with nine the previous day and a 10-day daily average of 11, Reuters reported, citing Kpler data. ING analysts said reduced traffic had increased concerns about potential oil supply disruptions. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed Gulf security with United Arab Emirates National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with both emphasizing freedom of navigation through the strait, Al Jazeera reported. U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that no talks with Iran were taking place or scheduled, while also saying the waterway remained open. Iran denied that talks were occurring and rejected the U.S. claim that the strait was open, saying it would remain shut until Washington met conditions from an interim deal signed in June. That framework expired this week without either side signaling an intention to renew it. Oil also drew support from a small decline in U.S. inventories reported by the American Petroleum Institute, ahead of official data due later Wednesday. The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve has recently fallen to its lowest level in more than 40 years because of the Iran war, adding to concerns about supply tightness.