The United States has imposed fresh sanctions on Iran over Tehran’s growing control of shipping activities in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions between the two countries despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced on Wednesday that it had sanctioned Iran’s newly established Persian Gulf Strait Authority, the agency responsible for collecting fees from vessels passing through the vital waterway.
Washington accused Tehran of using the authority to exert pressure on global maritime trade and generate revenue for its military operations and regional activities.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the move as another attempt by Iran to exploit one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
“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 Department also warned that companies or governments making payments to the Iranian authority could face sanctions themselves because such transactions may amount to support for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
According to the statement, those paying the fees “may be providing support to and receiving services from” the Revolutionary Guards and could therefore be exposed to American sanctions.
Bessent insisted that Washington’s sanctions campaign had already inflicted major financial damage on Tehran.
“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programmes, terrorist proxies and nuclear ambitions,” he said.
The U.S. further claimed that its economic measures had blocked Iran from accessing “tens of billions of dollars” in potential revenue.
The latest sanctions followed a social media announcement by the Persian Gulf Strait Authority earlier this month.
In a post published on X on May 20, the agency released a map outlining what it described as its “regulatory jurisdiction” over the Strait of Hormuz.
The map reportedly marked sections on both sides of the waterway where vessels would require Iranian approval before passage.
Although the United States and Iran have maintained a ceasefire since April 8 while diplomatic negotiations continue, tensions in the Gulf region remain high.
Iran has increased its monitoring and control of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States has carried out recent strikes on Iranian targets.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, with roughly 20 percent of global oil and natural gas shipments passing through the route.
Iran, however, has defended its actions, insisting that the charges imposed on vessels are not tolls but legitimate fees for maritime services.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran would continue managing traffic through the strategic passage.
He argued that the fees were being collected for “navigational services” provided to ships using the route.
The current conflict traces back to February 28, when the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran, prompting retaliatory missile and drone strikes by Tehran across the region.
Despite ongoing diplomatic talks aimed at securing a long-term settlement, the latest sanctions signal that relations between Washington and Tehran remain deeply strained
