Scott Bessent Threatens Sanctions on Oman Over Strait of Hormuz Toll System

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened sanctions over any effort to impose a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz, warning Oman in particular against participating in Iranian-linked plans.

In a post on X, Bessent wrote, “Oman, in particular, should know that the US Treasury will aggressively target any actors involved — directly or indirectly — in facilitating tolls for the Strait,” tying the threat to Iranian proposals tied to a possible agreement with the United States.

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The warning came hours after the US Treasury sanctioned Iran’s newly established “Persian Gulf Strait Authority,” an agency Tehran created to collect fees from vessels transiting the strategic waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz has become a major flashpoint since the outbreak of war between the United States, Israel, and Iran in late February, with Iranian retaliatory measures disrupting traffic and contributing to sharp increases in global energy and fertilizer prices.

The same period also included a separate US threat to Oman, with President Donald Trump saying he would “blow them up” if Muscat pursued a move involving Oman and Iran overseeing Hormuz operations.

Bessent’s message was echoed in other coverage that framed the threat as action against any country, company, or entity involved in facilitating tolls, with one report quoting him saying, “The United States Government will not tolerate any effort to impose a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz.”

The sanctions pressure followed the US Treasury’s move to add Iran’s “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” to the Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, with Washington arguing the fees could involve support to and services from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

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ANI also reported that Bessent urged countries to reject efforts by Iran to disrupt maritime trade routes, adding that “Tehran's days of terrorising the region and the world are over.”

At the same time, the sources described a fragile diplomatic and military backdrop, with the US and Iran accusing each other of violating an ongoing truce after an exchange of fire.

Kurdistan24 said the exchange marked “the most serious escalation since the two countries agreed to halt hostilities in April,” while also noting that indirect negotiations through regional mediators had continued without a breakthrough.

The sources tied the sanctions campaign to the Strait’s role in global energy flows, with one report stating the Strait of Hormuz “through which roughly one-fifth of global energy supplies normally pass” has been central to the dispute.

“The United States has warned that it would “aggressively” impose sanctions on Oman if it helps Iran establish a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz, intensifying President Donald Trump’s threats against the Gulf ally”

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CNBC described a parallel diplomatic thread, saying the Pentagon told Axios that the US and Iran have “mostly agreed” to the terms of an agreement to temporarily end the three-month-old war, while Trump had not yet given final approval to a 60-day memorandum of understanding.

CNBC also said Bessent was noncommittal when asked if an agreement with Iran was on the table, and that he reiterated the Strait must be “free and open, as it was before the war.”

Meanwhile, the sanctions and threats were linked to Iran’s new toll collection mechanism, with the US Treasury accusing the “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” of forcing vessels to pay “illegitimate tolls” and submit “sensitive” information in exchange for safe passage.

TRT World added that the funds were described as funnelled directly to the IRGC, and warned that any person or entity cooperating with the authority—including through toll payments made via fiat currency, digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, or other in-kind payments—may be exposed to US sanctions risk.