'Won't tolerate any toll fee on Hormuz': US issues stern warning to Oman, Iran

United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged the international community to dismiss Iran's attempts to interfere with global maritime trade routes.

United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday issued a sharp warning to Oman against participating in an alleged tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz with Iran. Bessent declared that Washington will not tolerate these actions and will move aggressively against any participants. Bessent urged the international community to dismiss Iran's attempts to interfere with global maritime trade routes, asserting that 'Tehran's days of terrorising the region and the world are over'.

In a post on X, Bessent explicitly cautioned Muscat, stating, "The United States Government will not tolerate any effort to impose a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz. Oman, in particular, should know that the US Treasury will aggressively target any actors involved - directly or indirectly - in facilitating tolls for the Strait and any willing partners will be penalized. All nations should reject outright any efforts by Iran to disrupt the free flow of commerce. Tehran’s days of terrorizing the region and the world are over."

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Escalating Rhetoric from the White House

The Treasury Secretary's warning follows a highly contentious statement from US President Donald Trump on Wednesday. Trump rejected the concept of a short-term agreement that would grant Iran and Oman joint oversight of the critical oil and gas transit corridor. Warning Oman not to interfere in ongoing negotiations regarding the strategic waterway, President Trump stated, "Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we'll have to blow 'em up."

Blacklisting of Iran's New Maritime Authority

As part of its response, the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) blacklisted Iran's newly formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) on Wednesday. The US added the PGSA to its Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, accusing Tehran of utilizing the entity to extort commercial shipping vessels and funnel revenues directly to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The enforcement action forms a core component of the Trump administration's intensified "Economic Fury" pressure campaign against Iran.

According to US Treasury officials, the PGSA coordinates closely with the IRGC Navy to dictate vessel transit routing and levy illegitimate fees on international commercial shipping. Commenting on the sanctions, Secretary Bessent remarked, "The Iranian military's latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash."

Tehran Defends Joint Mechanism with Muscat

The punitive measures from Washington follow a series of announcements from Tehran regarding new oversight measures for the Strait. Last week, Iran's Supreme National Security Council confirmed the launch of the regulatory body, announcing that the official communication channels for the PGSA were fully operational.

On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei defended the initiative, describing the joint efforts between Iran and Oman to develop a maritime safety protocol as a "responsible step." Baghaei argued that it was completely standard for services tied to environmental protection and maritime safety to incur processing fees.

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The Strategic Stakes of the Hormuz Chokepoint

The Strait of Hormuz remains a primary global energy chokepoint, handling a vast percentage of the world's daily petroleum and liquefied natural gas shipments. Because of this massive economic significance, the waterway has repeatedly served as a central flashpoint for military and geopolitical friction between Washington and Tehran amid wider instability in West Asia.