US warns paying Iran tolls to pass through Hormuz could trigger sanctions

The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued an alert Friday, warning that shipping companies, U.S. and non-U.S. alike, could face sanctions for making payments to Iran or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

The warning covers cash, digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, in-kind payments, charitable donations, and payments at Iranian embassies.

'These risks exist regardless of payment method'

OFAC's alert stated, "OFAC is issuing this alert to warn U.S. and non-U.S. persons about the sanctions risks of making these payments to, or soliciting guarantees from, the Iranian regime for safe passage. These risks exist regardless of payment method."

The advisory characterized toll payments as transactions with the Iranian regime and the IRGC, both designated under U.S. sanctions, meaning any company paying to transit Iran-controlled coastal routes could face designation regardless of nationality, currency or payment structure.

The warning explicitly named digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, in-kind payments, charitable donations and payments at Iranian embassies as covered transaction types.

USS New Orleans (LPD 18) sails in the Arabian Sea during the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, April 28, 2026. (Photo via X/@CENTCOM)

Iran's 'tollbooth' operation

After effectively closing the strait to normal traffic following the February 28 U.S.-Israeli strikes, Iran began offering some ships safe passage through alternate routes closer to its shoreline, charging fees for the service in what analysts described as a "tollbooth" operation.

The OFAC alert directly targets this scheme, making fee payments to any Iranian entity for maritime passage a sanctions-exposure event.

Normal Hormuz traffic stood at approximately 3,000 vessels per month before the war, per Lloyd's List Intelligence.

In the entire month of March, only 154 vessels crossed, per Kpler data, a collapse of approximately 95%. About 20% of the world's oil and gas supplies typically pass through the strait in peacetime.

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U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on X on Saturday that 48 commercial ships had been told to turn around since the U.S. naval blockade began on April 13.

"USS New Orleans (LPD 18) sails in the Arabian Sea during the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. Over the past 20 days, 48 vessels have been redirected to ensure compliance with the blockade," CENTCOM stated.

May 02, 2026 05:18 PM GMT+03:00