U.S. OFAC Warning: Sanctions Risk of Paying Iran's "Strait of Hormuz Transit Fee" in the Form of Digital Assets
On May 2, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a warning noting Iran’s threats to shipping and its demand that vessels pay a “transit fee” for safe passage through the international waters of the Strait of Hormuz.
These fees may be paid via fiat currency, digital assets, offset agreements, informal exchanges, or other in-kind forms—including ostensible charitable donations to the Iranian Red Crescent, Bonyad Mostazafan Foundation, or Iranian embassy accounts. OFAC’s alert reminds U.S. and non-U.S. persons that paying such fees or seeking passage assurances carries sanctions risks, regardless of the payment method.
Under U.S. sanctions rules:
- U.S. persons and their owned/controlled foreign entities are generally barred from transacting with the Iranian government (including providing or receiving services) unless exempted or authorized.
- U.S. persons may not engage with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—a designated
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Trump Claims U.S. Could "Almost Immediately Take Over" Cuba
**May 2nd —**
On May 1 local time, Donald Trump said during a speech the U.S. could "almost immediately" take over Cuba. He also stated, "We will first deal with one target (Iran)—I have always liked finishing things."
Trump additionally announced the U.S. will deploy the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier off Cuba’s coast. Earlier that day, prior to his remarks, he signed an executive order expanding U.S. sanctions against the Cuban government.
*Source: CCTV News*
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Federal Reserve Governor Bowman: Regulators Must Consider How to Respond to New Technologies like Mythos
May 2 — Federal Reserve top banking regulator Bowman said regulators must consider how best to regulate new technologies like Anthropic’s Mythos.
“On one hand, this capability lets companies address vulnerabilities they’ve identified on their own, boosting cybersecurity,” Bowman noted. “On the other, if used maliciously, it could identify and exploit vulnerabilities.”
Anthropic, as it evaluates safeguards against this powerful new technology, has already restricted the rollout of its latest AI model. The model has also prompted Trump administration officials to start weighing the risk of a cyberattack threatening financial stability. (Jinse)
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Ethereum Foundation Sells Another 10,000 ETH to BitMine at an Average Price of $2,292.15
On May 2, the Ethereum Foundation announced it sold 10,000 ETH to BitMine — Ethereum’s largest treasury company — through an over-the-counter (OTC) platform, at an average price of $2,292.15 per ETH.
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Trump Says U.S. Currently Not Leaving the Strait of Hormuz
On May 2, U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. “will not leave” the Strait of Hormuz currently. He defended the U.S. blockade, calling it “very powerful,” and noted the measures are working. Trump claimed that once the war ends, prices of oil, natural gas and other commodities will collapse. He also praised the U.S. stock market’s record high and stated all projects under his administration were completed “on time” and “on budget.”
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US Media: Iran Eases Conditions for Resuming Talks with the United States
**Iran Submits New Proposal to U.S. to End War, Signals Compromise for Talks**
Iran sent a new proposal to the U.S. on May 2nd aimed at ending the ongoing conflict, showing signs of compromise to restart negotiations and resolve an impasse that has severely harmed its economy, sources familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.
The proposal marks a shift toward Washington: it links Tehran’s conditions for open access to the Strait of Hormuz with U.S. commitments to halt attacks and lift the blockade on Iranian ports, with both issues to be discussed simultaneously.
Previously, Iran had insisted the U.S. lift the blockade as a precondition for talks, and demanded Washington first agree on war-ending terms before addressing the strait’s future management or its nuclear program. The new plan also includes discussions on Iran’s nuclear issues in exchange for U.S. sanctions relief.
Iran has informed mediators that if the U.S. shows openness to the proposal, it is read
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