Foreign
US threatens shipping firms with sanctions if they pay Iran tolls
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The US has warned shipping companies they could face sanctions if they pay Iran for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
An alert on Friday by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) warned US persons and companies were generally banned from paying Iranian government entities, and non-US persons may risk exposure to sanctions if they pay.
“Maritime industry participants involved with vessels calling at Iranian ports face significant sanctions risk under multiple sanctions authorities targeting Iran’s shipping sector and ports”, OFAC said.
Iran has severely limited traffic through the strait since the war began in February.
The US has also enforced a naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Iran has called the US interception of ships entering and leaving Iranian ports under the blockade “piracy”.
Tehran says it has collected tolls from ships in order to navigate freely through the strait, with Hamidreza Haji Bababei, deputy speaker of Iran’s Parliament, last week claiming the first toll revenue had been deposited with the country’s Central Bank.
No further detail was provided on the amount of the toll, the method of collection nor who paid it. The BBC could not independently verify this claim.
OFAC’s alert said payments could involve cash as well as “digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, or other in-kind payments,” including charitable donations and payments at Iranian embassies.
The agency warned that non-US persons who pay could also face civil and criminal enforcement liability if payments cause US persons, such as insurers and financial institutions, to violate sanctions.
OFAC said it “will continue to aggressively target Iran’s main revenue-generating sectors, in particular its petroleum and petrochemical sectors”.
The US Treasury also announced sanctions on three Iranian foreign currency exchange houses on Friday, saying they have converted oil revenue into more usable currencies.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said his agency would “relentlessly target the regime’s ability to generate, move and repatriate funds, and pursue anyone enabling Tehran’s attempts to evade sanctions”.
After the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February, Iran has been targeting and striking ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, including seizing two of them.
The US has also enforced a naval blockade since 13 April, stopping all ships from travelling to or from Iranian ports.
Trump had hoped the blockade would put pressure on Iran by targeting its revenue from the tolls and oil sales.
US Central Command (Centcom) said on Friday that 45 commercial ships have been told to turn around since the blockade began.
About 3,000 ships typically pass through the strait each month, but that number has dropped sharply to just a handful each day.
The strait is a crucial shipping channel for oil and other goods, including food, medicines, and technological supplies.
Map titled “US blockade of Iran’s Gulf coast” showing Iran’s southern coastline along the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman highlighted in red to indicate a blockade. Iranian territorial waters are shaded, with a caption stating, “No ships permitted to approach or leave Iranian coast.”
Ports and major jetties are marked with purple dots, including Kharg Island and Bandar Abbas. Surrounding seas are labelled, including the Arabian Sea, and a distance scale, source credit, and BBC logo are visible.
UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, said on Friday that the closure of key maritime routes has forced the use of longer and more expensive alternatives to transport aid.
Higher transport and fuel costs “disproportionately affect people in emergencies”, including refugees and displaced people, the agency said.
The cost of delivering aid to Sudan, entering its fourth year of war, has doubled in recent months, as rerouting shipments around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa adds up to 25 days in delivery time.
The UN agency said it has adapted quickly by rerouting sea cargo and relying more on land corridors. But it warned that “if instability in the Middle East persists, rising costs, delays and limited transport capacity are likely to constrain humanitarian operations further.”
The US and Iran began a fragile ceasefire on 8 April. Since then, the two countries have held talks, but no long-term deal has been reached.
Iran gave mediators in Pakistan a proposal to end the war on Thursday night, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency. However, US President Donald Trump has responded negatively to the proposal.
“They want to make a deal, I’m not excited, so we’ll see what happens,” Trump said on Friday.
He added: “Because they have no military left, essentially. I’m not sure if they ever get there.”
The president did not give details about the proposal or explain why he was not satisfied, but said: “They’re asking for things that I can’t agree to.”
He also voiced frustration with Iran’s leadership, saying: “It’s a very disjointed leadership. They all want to make a deal, but they’re all messed up.”
After Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in US and Israeli strikes on the first day of the war, his son Mojtaba Khamenei succeeded him. However, decision-making seems less centralised than it was before the war.
On Thursday, Trump said he was briefed on options for Iran ranging from “blast the hell out of them and finish them forever” to “make a deal”.
The conflict began after the US and Israel carried out wide-ranging strikes on Iran in February. Iran responded by launching attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf.
The US and Israel said Iran was trying to develop a nuclear bomb, which Tehran has strongly denied. [BBC]
Foreign
US cautions citizens in UK after terrorism threat alert
The United States government has urged its citizens in the United Kingdom to stay safe after the authorities issued a national terrorism threat alert.
The U.S. Embassy advised Americans to remain alert in public places such as schools, hospitals, churches, tourist locations and transportation hubs.
“Keep a low profile; remain aware of your surroundings; review your personal security plans,” the advisory reads, urging citizens to report social media threats and suspicious activity.
The UK’s Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) increased the threat level from “substantial” to “severe” this week, meaning an attack is highly likely within the next six months.
The action followed a stabbing attack targeting the Jewish community in Golders Green, north London, formally declared a terrorist incident by counter-terrorism policing.
The suspect, identified as 45-year-old Essa Suleiman, a Somali-born British national, faces multiple charges, including attempted murder. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 15.
London, however, explained that the threat level was raised not solely because of the attack, citing threats from radical Islamist and extreme right-wing individuals and groups in the UK.
The last time the UK threat level was at “severe” was in November 2021, after the Liverpool Women’s Hospital bombing and the murder of Sir David Amess, a long-time Member of Parliament.
Israel published a report in February, wherein it sounded the alarm about the penetration of extremist ideology into terrorist organizations seeking to target Jewish communities in Europe.
Foreign
Trump Calls US Elections “Rigged,” Warns There Could Be No More America
United States President Donald Trump has renewed his criticism of the U.S. electoral system, warning that the country could face serious consequences if election reforms are not introduced.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, he claimed that American elections are “rigged” and have become a global embarrassment, arguing that urgent changes are needed to restore trust in the system.
He called on Republicans to rally behind a proposed electoral overhaul he referred to as the “Save America Act,” which he described as crucial to protecting democracy in the United States. According to him, the bill would strengthen voting integrity through measures such as mandatory voter identification and proof of citizenship.
Trump also proposed restrictions on mail-in voting, saying it should only be allowed in limited cases such as illness, disability, military service, or travel. He argued that mail-in ballots are vulnerable to abuse and compromise election integrity.
He further warned that he would not endorse any Republican who opposed the bill and urged lawmakers to support it regardless of party affiliation. Trump also suggested that opposition to the proposal would be politically damaging in future elections.
Observers note that the proposal is expected to spark debate, particularly given ongoing disagreements in the U.S. over voting rights, election security, and the balance of authority between federal and state governments.
Foreign
White House Shooting Suspect Admits He Planned To ‘Shoot Trump Officials’
The 31-year-old man, Cole Allen, who reportedly opened fire during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., on Saturday night, has told investigators that he deliberately targeted officials of the President Donald Trump administration, according to senior federal law enforcement sources familiar with the case.
Allen allegedly confessed after his arrest on Saturday night that his intention was to “shoot Trump administration officials,” investigators disclosed, according to Fox News.
The incident occurred at the Washington Hilton, where Allen reportedly forced his way through a Secret Service security checkpoint while armed with a shotgun, a handgun, knives, and other weapons.
He subsequently opened fire, hitting a Secret Service officer, whose ballistic vest prevented fatal injuries.
Law enforcement agents at the scene returned fire, but Allen was not struck. Both the injured officer and the suspect were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
In the aftermath of the shooting, operatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), alongside local law enforcement, moved swiftly to secure Allen’s residence in Torrance, California.
Officials said efforts were underway to obtain a federal search warrant to examine the property for further evidence.
According to the White House, new details have emerged suggesting that Allen may have communicated his intentions prior to the attack.
His brother reportedly alerted the New London Police Department after receiving what authorities described as a manifesto outlining the suspect’s motives.
Investigators said the document explicitly referenced plans to target members of the Trump administration.
Officials also pointed to Allen’s social media activity, which allegedly contained anti-Trump and anti-Christian sentiments.
Reacting to the development during an interview with Fox News, Trump described the suspect as deeply disturbed.
“The guy is a sick guy,” Trump said. “When you read his manifesto, he hates Christians. That’s one thing for sure.
“He hates Christians, a hatred. And I think his sister or his brother actually was complaining about it. You know, they were even complaining to law enforcement. So he was, he was a very troubled guy.”
Further insight into Allen’s behaviour was provided by his sister, Avriana Allen, who spoke with both the Secret Service and local police in Rockville.
She reportedly told investigators that her brother frequently made extreme statements and spoke about carrying out actions to “fix” societal problems.
She also revealed that Allen had legally purchased firearms, including two handguns and a shotgun, from a dealer identified as Cap Tactical Firearms.
According to her account, the weapons were stored at their parents’ residence without their knowledge.
Avriana added that her brother regularly practised shooting at gun ranges and was associated with a group known as “The Wide Awakes.”
She further disclosed that he had participated in a “No Kings” protest in California at some point prior to the incident.
The shooting has heightened concerns about security at high-profile political events in the United States, particularly those attended by senior government officials and members of the press.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing as they work to piece together the full scope of Allen’s motives and potential affiliations.
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