US warns shipping firms over paying Iran to transit the Strait of Hormuz
The United States has warned shipping companies against making payments to Iran for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, threatening sanctions over such transactions. The alert intensifies the ongoing standoff between the U.S. and Iran, which has included a naval blockade and accusations of strait closures. Meanwhile, Iran has executed two men accused of spying for Israel and continues to face criticism over its handling of political prisoners.
- ▪The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control warned that payments to Iran for transit through the Strait of Hormuz could trigger sanctions, including non-cash or in-kind payments.
- ▪The U.S. imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports on April 13, halting Iranian tankers and disrupting oil revenue.
- ▪Iran executed two men, Yaghoub Karimpour and Nasser Bekrzadeh, for allegedly spying for Israel, sending information about government figures and the Natanz nuclear site.
- ▪Imprisoned Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi remains in critical condition, with her medical team unable to perform key diagnostics due to Iranian authorities blocking her transfer to Tehran.
- ▪President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest peace proposal, calling its leadership 'very disjointed,' while ceasefire violations are still being alleged by both sides.
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Vehicles drive past a billboard with graphic showing Strait of Hormuz and sewn lips of U.S. President Donald Trump in a square in downtown Tehran, Iran, Saturday. AP-YonhapBEIRUT — The United States is warning shipping companies they could face sanctions for making payments to Iran to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz.The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control alert posted Friday adds pressure in the standoff between the U.S. and Iran over control of the strait at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, where about a fifth of the world's trade in oil and natural gas typically passes.Iran effectively closed the strait by attacking and threatening ships after the U.S. and Israel launched a war on Feb. 28.
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