Iran Backs Ship Transit Fee Law as US Prepares "Largest Ever" Sanctions Campaign Against Tehran

Tehran: A parliamentary committee in Iran has thrown its weight behind proposed legislation that would compel vessels from countries permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz to pay Tehran for services along the route, as tensions between Iran, the United States and their respective allies continue to escalate.

The decision comes following the United States's move to isolate Iran by imposing economic sanctions on a scale unprecedented against any other country. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to make a key announcement on the measures at a press conference tonight.

Bessent said on Sunday that the US would seek to cripple Iran through the largest sanctions campaign in history. He also called on US allies and other countries to sever their trade ties with Iran.

Bessent warned that countries unwilling to comply with the US demand could also face punitive measures. The planned action comes after US President Donald Trump announced a tougher economic war against Iran.

Meanwhile, Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei warned that any nation aligning itself with Washington's sanctions campaign against Tehran would be viewed as an adversary, with Iran pledging retaliation against that country's interests in response. Rezaei went further, suggesting Iran could resort to forceful countermeasures if the US pursued additional action, while also calling for a broader reassessment of Iran's diplomatic strategy in light of what he called Washington's repeated failure to honour past commitments.

The standoff intensified further after Trump posted a map on Truth Social describing the Strait of Hormuz as newly claimed American territory, echoing comments he had made a day earlier at a rally where he used similar language to describe the waterway.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi dismissed the likelihood of fresh American sanctions, telling supporters via a Telegram video message that Washington's repeated threats reflect a lack of remaining options following unsuccessful military efforts. He insisted that any resolution would require the US to engage with Iran respectfully and pursue a solution rooted in fairness and dignity.