U.S. warns shipping firms against paying Iran for Strait of Hormuz passage

International, Middle East, North America

WASHINGTON, United States (NPA) — The United States Department of the Treasury has warned shipping operators, financial institutions and maritime service providers against making payments to Iran for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, citing serious sanctions risks.

In an alert issued on May 1, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said it had received reports of alleged Iranian threats to commercial shipping and demands for “toll” payments in exchange for secure transit through the strategic waterway.

According to the advisory, the payments could take several forms, including fiat currency, digital assets, informal swaps, offsets and charitable donations allegedly directed to Iranian-linked organisations and embassy accounts.

OFAC warned that both U.S. and non-U.S. entities could face sanctions exposure for participating in such transactions.

The agency stated that U.S. sanctions generally prohibit American persons and U.S.-owned foreign entities from engaging in transactions involving the Government of Iran or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Washington designates as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

The Treasury Department also cautioned that non-U.S. financial institutions involved in the transactions risk secondary sanctions that could restrict access to the American financial system. “Non-U.S. persons engaging with blocked Iranian digital asset exchanges may also risk sanctions for operating in or supporting the sanctioned Iranian financial sector,” the statement said.

The advisory further warned insurers, reinsurers and other maritime-linked businesses that facilitating such payments could expose them to civil and criminal liability under U.S. sanctions laws.

OFAC urged maritime service providers to conduct enhanced due diligence on vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz and to investigate possible dealings with Iranian authorities.

The agency advised operators to examine voyage plans for signs of transit through Iranian territorial waters and seek details from counterparties regarding any safe-passage arrangements involving Iran.

The U.S. government also reiterated that vessels entering or departing Iranian ports remain subject to multiple sanctions authorities targeting Iran’s shipping, petroleum and petrochemical sectors.

Mariners were encouraged to coordinate with U.S. naval authorities, including the Fifth Fleet and NAVCENT NCAGS, for operational guidance in the region.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints, handling a significant share of global oil and gas shipments amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Gulf region.