Rubio Issues Stark Warning on Hormuz Tolls
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday warned that Iranian tolls on ships passing the Strait of Hormuz would spread to other waterways, risking “total chaos.” Speaking at a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Bahrain, Rubio emphasized that international waterways do not belong to any nation state, a principle he described as foundational to global order.
“If in fact we accepted that you can charge money to use an international waterway because it happens to be near your territorial space, well then this will spread throughout the world like a contagion,” Rubio said. He stressed that without adherence to this principle, the world would descend into total chaos.
US Seeks Deal but Not at Any Price
Rubio, on his first regional tour since the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to end the Middle East war, said the US wants a peace deal but not “at any price.” He outlined conditions: “We want a deal that’s good, we want a deal that’s real, we want a deal that’s verifiable, and we want a deal that’s adhered to.”
The top US diplomat has visited the heavily attacked UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain on his tour. He gave assurances that the interests of Gulf countries would be taken into account in any deal with Iran. “We want to ensure... that there is no part of this deal that’s undertaken that in any way undermines the security, the stability, or the prosperity of any of our partners in the Gulf region,” he said.
Regional Impact and Reactions
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. Iran has previously threatened to impose tolls or disrupt shipping in the waterway. Rubio’s warning underscores US concerns that such actions could set a dangerous precedent for other international waterways, including the Suez Canal or the Malacca Strait. Gulf states, heavily reliant on stable maritime trade, view the issue with alarm.
The GCC meeting in Manama focused on coordinating regional responses to the US-Iran interim deal. Rubio’s remarks aimed to reassure allies that Washington remains committed to protecting freedom of navigation and regional stability.
