Shipping Companies Paying Iran for Strait of Hormuz Passage May Face Sanctions, US Warns
The U.S. Treasury Department has warned that shipping companies paying Iran for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz may face sanctions. This comes as Iran has been collecting fees for 'safe passage' after effectively closing the strait following U.S.-Israeli airstrikes.
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- 📰 Published: May 2, 2026 at 19:45
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Middle East War Key News
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Dubai 2nd, comprehensive foreign report) The U.S. Treasury Department has issued a warning that shipping companies paying Iran for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz may face sanctions.
According to the Associated Press, the warning issued yesterday by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) further escalates pressure in the U.S.-Iran confrontation over control of the Strait of Hormuz. In peacetime, approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas trade passes through this strategic waterway.
Since the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, Iran has effectively closed normal navigation in the Strait of Hormuz through attacks and threats against vessels. Subsequently, Iran began offering a "safe passage" scheme to some vessels, guiding them to alternative routes closer to the Iranian coast, and occasionally collecting service fees.
This "toll station"-like behavior is the focus of the U.S. sanction warning.
OFAC stated that payment demands may not be limited to cash but could also include "digital assets, offsets, informal exchanges, or other in-kind payments," and even charitable donations or payments to Iranian embassies.
The warning states: "OFAC issues this alert to remind U.S. and non-U.S. persons that paying fees to the Iranian regime or seeking guarantees of passage in exchange for safe passage carries sanction risks. These risks exist regardless of the payment method." (Compiled by Liu Shu-qin) 1150502
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Dubai 2nd, comprehensive foreign report) The U.S. Treasury Department has issued a warning that shipping companies paying Iran for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz may face sanctions.
According to the Associated Press, the warning issued yesterday by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) further escalates pressure in the U.S.-Iran confrontation over control of the Strait of Hormuz. In peacetime, approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas trade passes through this strategic waterway.
Since the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, Iran has effectively closed normal navigation in the Strait of Hormuz through attacks and threats against vessels. Subsequently, Iran began offering a "safe passage" scheme to some vessels, guiding them to alternative routes closer to the Iranian coast, and occasionally collecting service fees.
This "toll station"-like behavior is the focus of the U.S. sanction warning.
OFAC stated that payment demands may not be limited to cash but could also include "digital assets, offsets, informal exchanges, or other in-kind payments," and even charitable donations or payments to Iranian embassies.
The warning states: "OFAC issues this alert to remind U.S. and non-U.S. persons that paying fees to the Iranian regime or seeking guarantees of passage in exchange for safe passage carries sanction risks. These risks exist regardless of the payment method." (Compiled by Liu Shu-qin) 1150502
Stand with the facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.