The United States has announced fresh sanctions against Iran over its tightening control of maritime activities in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The sanctions, unveiled by the United States Department of the Treasury on Wednesday, target Iran’s newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority, an agency responsible for collecting fees from vessels passing through the waterway. […]
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The United States has announced fresh sanctions against Iran over its tightening control of maritime activities in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The sanctions, unveiled by the United States Department of the Treasury on Wednesday, target Iran’s newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority, an agency responsible for collecting fees from vessels passing through the waterway.
According to the US Treasury, the move is part of efforts to restrict Iran’s access to revenue allegedly linked to military operations, weapons programmes, and regional activities.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Iran’s actions reflected growing financial pressure on the government.
“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash,” Bessent said in a statement.
The Treasury also warned that companies or individuals paying the newly imposed fees risk exposure to US sanctions, alleging that such payments could amount to indirect support for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
Iran recently published a map outlining what it described as its “regulatory jurisdiction” in the Strait of Hormuz, identifying areas where vessels would require Iranian authorisation for passage.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important shipping routes, with about 20 percent of global oil and natural gas shipments passing through the corridor.
Despite an ongoing ceasefire between US and Iranian forces since April 8, tensions remain high in the region. Diplomatic efforts toward a negotiated settlement are continuing, even as both sides accuse each other of escalating actions.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei defended the country’s position earlier this week, insisting that the charges imposed on vessels are fees for navigational services rather than tolls.
The conflict intensified after the United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran on February 28, prompting retaliatory missile and drone strikes by Tehran across the region.
The latest sanctions are expected to further heighten tensions around Gulf shipping routes and international energy markets.
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