Rubio Guarantees Free Transit Through the Strait of Hormuz

One of the key issues in diplomatic talks between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Gulf partners was the question of transit fees in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Concerns over disruption to global trade and energy markets arose during the conflict, when Iran briefly took control of the waterway.

During a visit to Bahrain, Rubio said the United States would not allow the collection of tolls to become part of any future peace agreement.

"No country on Earth has the right to charge for the use of international waterways", he said. In a joint statement, the US and the Gulf Cooperation Council committed to supporting "free, unconditional and unrestricted navigation", while explicitly rejecting any "tolls, fees or attempts to assert control".

Oman also voiced support for this position, confirming as part of its plan for the safe transit of ships that future measures in the strait will not include any transit fees.

Preventing the collection of fees is a critical issue for Washington and its allies, as any attempt by Tehran to impose fees on the strait would be viewed as an illegitimate exercise of power over international infrastructure and a direct threat to global energy security. Iran has announced that it will begin collecting fees once the 60-day period currently in effect under a memorandum with the United States comes to an end.

(Reuters, Max)