Tehran: Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority announced that US sanctions aimed at the organization would not enable Washington to secure control over the Strait of Hormuz. The authority criticized the sanctions, suggesting that being targeted by a nation 'whose president boasts about piracy' highlights its effective operations.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Persian Gulf Strait Authority emphasized that the US had failed to control the Strait of Hormuz through military or diplomatic means, and sanctions would likewise be ineffective. The agency noted on social media platform X that despite provocative actions from the US in the Gulf and Gulf of Oman, it continues to process transit requests and issue passage permits to non-hostile vessels without interruption. It also mentioned plans to release operational statistics soon.

The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the agency on Wednesday, accusing it of serving as an extortion tool for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by allegedly forcing commercial vessels to pay tolls for passage through the strait. The US claimed that these tolls and the submission of sensitive information were traded for safe passage, with the funds purportedly supporting the IRGC.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the sanctions are part of Washington's strategy to exert more pressure on Iran, warning that entities working with the Persian Gulf Strait Authority might face risks of sanctions. The geopolitical tension in the Middle East has been heightened since US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, followed by Tehran's retaliatory attacks on Israel and US allies in the Gulf, leading to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire mediated by Pakistan began on April 8, but talks in Islamabad did not yield a lasting agreement. Subsequently, the truce was indefinitely extended by then-President Trump. Despite this, both sides have continued negotiations in hopes of resuming direct talks and resolving the conflict.