The US embassy in Cairo has warned Egyptian companies and institutions against any dealings with the Iran, including paying fees or securing guarantees for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, threatening violators with US sanctions, according to a document reviewed by Al Manassa.
The warning, issued by the Cairo Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, covers any payment of transit fees through the Strait of Hormuz, by any means, to the Iranian government or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), whether direct or indirect.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has directed relevant authorities to be briefed on the US embassy’s warning, aiming to shield Egyptian companies and institutions from US sanctions amid developments affecting navigation through the strait, the document said.
The warning comes as Washington tightens pressure on Iran and tensions escalate over the Strait of Hormuz, a key corridor for global oil and gas shipments.
It stemmed a letter from the Foreign Trade Agreements Sector at the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, which cited a statement from Egypt’s Foreign Ministry on a decision issued by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on May 27.
The US decision added the “Persian Gulf Strait Authority,” an entity Iran had established to manage navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, to its sanctions list, according to the document.
Under the warning, financial dealings linked to that authority, the Iranian government, or the IRGC could expose companies and their counterparties to US action, prompting the Egyptian government to circulate the warning to relevant bodies.
The move coincides with separate US pressure on the financial sector tied to Egypt and Iran.
The US Treasury announced last Friday that it was proposing sanctions on Banque Misr’s branch in the UAE, which would restrict its access to US financial institutions and correspondent banking services, over allegations that it facilitated financial flows linked to Iranian entities.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Reuters last Sunday that the steps involving Banque Misr’s UAE branch could be followed by measures aimed at fully cutting off a financial institution from the dollar-based financial system.
He later said the US did not intend to broaden its measures to include Banque Misr in Egypt. “We didn’t impose sanctions because we didn’t want the measures to extend to Banque Misr’s parent bank,” he said on Tuesday.
The US administration launched “Operation Economic Outcast” on Aug. 24 targeting the Iranian government, with the Treasury saying it aims to cut off funding sources that sustain the Iranian government and curb its capacity to continue its economic activities.
The circulation of the US warning among Egyptian entities reflects concern that dealings linked to Iran, even if conducted indirectly or through services tied to navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, could expose companies to US sanctions.
