US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on 22 May that discussions with Iran have made “slight progress” but stressed that proposed plans for a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz should be rejected by all countries.
Speaking at a NATO meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Rubio cautioned against overstating any advances in the talks and said such tolls “can’t happen.” His comments come amid reports that Iran is working with Oman on a potential system to formalise charges for maritime traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
No one in the world is in favor of a tolling system. It can’t happen; it would be unacceptable. It would make a diplomatic deal unfeasible if they were to continue to pursue that. So it’s a threat to the world that they would try to do that. And it’s completely illegal, by the way.
…remarked Rubio during press questions at the Miami Homestead Airport.
As reported, an Iranian diplomat, Mohammad Amin-Nejad, said in an interview to Bloomberg that any such framework would reflect the costs of providing security and managing navigation, arguing that users of the waterway should contribute financially, while also insisting the system would be transparent.
However, US President Donald Trump rejected the idea outright, stating that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and free, with no tolls imposed. He added that such a system would be unacceptable to the international community.
Rubio also noted that a draft UN Security Council resolution calling on Iran to stop obstructing shipping, remove sea mines, and end “illegal tolls” has attracted an unprecedented level of support, although its adoption remains uncertain due to concerns raised by Russia and China.
He added that efforts are ongoing to build global consensus through the United Nations.
He further warned that allowing such a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz could set a precedent for similar measures in other strategic waterways around the world.