US targets Iran’s Hormuz transit authority in new sanctions push

The United States has sanctioned Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), a Tehran-linked body set up to oversee ship movement and introduce a permit-based system for transits through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to The Maritime Telegraph , the US Treasury Department placed the PGSA on its sanctions list on May 27 under the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), warning that dealings with the entity could be treated as support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

US officials said the move is part of wider pressure on Iran’s efforts to influence maritime traffic in the region. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused Tehran of trying to monetize control over global shipping routes and said the policy reflects growing financial strain on the country.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical energy chokepoint, carrying roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG flows under normal conditions.

Iran has recently promoted a new framework requiring vessels to coordinate passage with local authorities and has floated the idea of transit fees. These proposals have drawn concern from shipping stakeholders, who see them as an attempt to tighten administrative control over the waterway.

 

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