The United States Treasury Department issued a stark warning Friday to international shippers, cautioning that any payments made to Iran for passage through the critical Strait of Hormuz could result in heavy American sanctions.
Through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Treasury highlighted growing concern over Iranian efforts to force vessels into paying tolls in exchange for safe navigation in one of the world’s most vital energy corridors.
The advisory stressed, “US persons and U.S.-owned or -controlled foreign entities are generally prohibited under US sanctions from engaging in transactions with the Government of Iran, including the provision or receipt of services, unless exempt or authorized by OFAC."
While OFAC stopped short of naming companies involved, reports reveal that some tankers have already handed over as much as two million dollars in toll fees to Tehran since the US-Israeli confrontation with Iran erupted on February 28.
Adding to the tension, a spokesperson for Iran’s Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters’ Union revealed earlier this month that Tehran plans to charge one dollar per barrel of oil on tankers during the fragile ceasefire. Ships would first be required to email Iranian authorities with details of their cargo, after which they would be permitted to pay the extortionate fees in bitcoin.
President Trump reacted forcefully to the Iranian scheme, declaring bluntly that “they better stop now!" Earlier, he had suggested the unusual idea of a US-Iran “joint venture" for managing such tolls.
The Iranian regime has kept the Strait of Hormuz closed since the war began, in response to the US-Israeli strikes.
In mid-April, the US began a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump announced the blockade after delegations from Iran and the United States held extended negotiations in Islamabad but failed to produce an agreement.
(Arutz Sheva-Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)