US Allowing Iranian Ships Through Strait of Hormuz, Treasury Secretary Says

‘We want the world to be well supplied,’ Bessent said.

Iranian crude oil tanker, Sevda, sails near Bandare Asaluyah, Iran, on Jan. 27, 2026. Sam/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on March 16 that the United States is allowing Iran to transport oil through the disputed Strait of Hormuz to ensure the rest of the world is supplied.

“The Iranian ships have been getting out already, and we’ve let that happen to supply the rest of the world,” Bessent told CNBC, in response to a question about Iranian oil tankers traversing through the strait.