- Oil prices rise, stocks mixed -

Oil prices climbed Tuesday as investors assessed Donald Trump's latest deadline for Iran to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Both main oil contracts rose, with West Texas Intermediate topping $115 -- its highest in a month -- and Brent sitting around $111.

Equity markets fluctuated, with Tokyo, Singapore, Manila and Jakarta down while Shanghai, Sydney, Seoul, Wellington and Taipei rose. Hong Kong was closed for a holiday.

That followed a positive start to the week on Wall Street as stocks logged gains on hopes for a ceasefire.

- UN to vote on Strait of Hormuz resolution -

The UN Security Council is set to vote on Tuesday for a resolution addressing Iran's threats to the Strait of Hormuz, diplomatic sources told AFP.

The latest draft, seen by AFP, demands Iran end its attacks on commercial vessels and halt "any attempt to impede transit passage or freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz".

But objections from several veto-holding permanent members have seen the text watered down and the latest draft does not expressly authorise force.

Tehran has virtually closed the key waterway since US-Israeli strikes targeting Iran on February 28, sending global oil and gas prices soaring.

- Japan PM says call with Iran president being 'arranged' -

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said "arrangements" are being made for a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

"We have to communicate both with the US and Iran, so we are seeking telephone calls with the presidents of both countries," she said in parliament.

Japan is the fifth-biggest importer of oil with more than 90 percent of it coming from the Middle East, as well as around 10 percent of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports.

- Trump says to destroy Iran bridges, power plants -

US President Donald Trump said Monday that the military had war plans to destroy all bridges and power plants in Iran over a four-hour period if his peace deal deadline is not met.

"We have a plan -- because of the power of our military -- where every bridge in Iran will be decimated by 12 o'clock tomorrow night, where every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding and never to be used again," he told a press conference.

Trump previously set 8:00 pm Washington time on Tuesday (midnight GMT Wednesday) for Iran to agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

- Turkish, Japanese tankers go through Hormuz strait -

A third Turkish-owned ship has passed through the war-torn Strait of Hormuz, Turkey's Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said.

Uraloglu said the "Ocean Thunder" was carrying crude oil from Iraq to Malaysia. Japanese shipping firm Mitsui O.S.K. Lines said an Indian-flagged tanker owned by a subsidiary had also safely transited the strait.

- IAEA warns on power plant strikes -

The chief of the UN nuclear watchdog said attacks near Iran's Bushehr atomic power plant "pose a very real danger to nuclear safety and must stop".

The facility in the south of the country and equipped with a 1,000-megawatt reactor, has been targeted four times in the US-Israeli war on Iran, most recently on Saturday.

Strikes near the operating plant could cause "harmful consequences for people and the environment in Iran and beyond," said Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

- Iran petrochemical site hit -

Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said his country has conducted a "powerful strike" on Iran's largest petrochemical facility in Assaluyeh and Iranian media reported multiple explosions at the site.

"The Israel Defense Forces have just carried out a powerful strike on Iran's largest petrochemical facility, located in Assaluyeh -- a central target responsible for about 50 percent of the country's petrochemical production," Katz stated.

- South Korea, Taiwan, take Saudi option -

South Korea will send five Korean-flagged ships to the Saudi Red Sea port of Yanbu to establish alternative oil supply routes to the Strait of Hormuz, a ruling MP said.

South Korea relies on Middle East crude for around 70 percent of its imports. Taiwan, with a similar reliance on imports, said it will also redirect ships to bring crude from Saudi Red Sea ports.

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