Iran's Hormuz Strait Authority: US Sanctions Do Not Guarantee Control of Strait of Hormuz

Istanbul — Iran’s Hormuz Strait Authority said on Friday, 29 May, that US sanctions targeting the agency would not help Washington gain control of the Strait of Hormuz. The agency condemned the sanctions, stating that being targeted by a country “whose president boasts of piracy” is a sign of its positive performance. “You have failed to gain control of the Strait of Hormuz through military and diplomatic means, and you will not achieve it through sanctions,” it wrote on social media platform X. The agency added that despite US provocative actions in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, it continues without disruption to review transit requests and issue passage permits to non-hostile vessels. They also stated they will soon release statistics covering the first month of operations. US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the agency on Wednesday, 27 May, accusing it of acting as an extension of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by forcing commercial vessels to pay transit fees to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The US stated that the agency forces vessels to pay what it describes as illegal tolls and hand over sensitive information in exchange for safe passage through the strategic waterway, with funds allegedly channeled directly to the IRGC. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the sanctions are part of Washington’s efforts to increase pressure on Iran, warning that entities collaborating with the authority could face sanctions risks. Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February. Tehran retaliated with attacks targeting Israel and US allies in the Gulf, alongside closing the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire began on 8 April through Pakistani mediation, but subsequent talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. Trump then extended the ceasefire indefinitely. Both sides have since continued exchanging proposals and counter-proposals in an effort to resume direct talks and end the conflict.