Treasury warns ships that pay toll to Iran could face US sanctions
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a warning to shippers on Friday that fulfilling any demand for an Iranian toll in exchange for passage through the Strait of Hormuz risks exposure to U.S. sanctions.
"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," its alert said.
Demands to pay a toll could come in a variety of ways, including "fiat currency, digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, or other in-kind payments," such as charitable donations to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, the alert said.
The OFAC also reiterated that the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect.
The alert comes as shipping traffic through the critical shipping channel remains at a virtual standstill and the indefinite ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran drags on without a clear resolution to the war -- or a full reopening of the strait -- in sight.
-ABC News' Nicholas Kerr







