The United States has announced fresh sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority, the agency recently established by Tehran to oversee and collect fees from vessels passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the sanctions were in response to what Washington described as Iran’s attempt to “extort global maritime trade” following heightened tensions in the Gulf region.
According to the US Treasury, individuals or companies paying the new maritime fees imposed by Iran could also face sanctions risks for allegedly providing support to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
The development comes amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran despite a ceasefire reportedly observed since April 8. Diplomatic efforts toward a negotiated settlement are still ongoing, but both sides have continued military and economic pressure tactics.
Iran had earlier issued a map through the Persian Gulf Strait Authority outlining what it called its “regulatory jurisdiction” within the Strait of Hormuz, a major global shipping route through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies pass.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei defended the move, insisting Tehran was merely charging for navigational services and not imposing illegal tolls on international shipping.
The latest sanctions also follow renewed US military strikes on Iranian targets in recent days, while tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel continue to unsettle the region.
The conflict reportedly began after US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, prompting retaliatory missile and drone strikes by Tehran across the Middle East.
Tags: US, Iran, Strait of Hormuz, Sanctions, Donald Trump, Scott Bessent, Middle East, Israel, Oil Trade, Global Shipping, Persian Gulf, Diplomacy, Ceasefire, Maritime Security, Tehran
