US secretary of state begins Gulf tour, calls Strait of Hormuz international waterway, opposes Iranian tolls

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway and pushed back against Iran's moves to impose transit fees on vessels passing through it.

Speaking to reporters after arriving in the United Arab Emirates, Rubio said no country has the right to levy tolls or fees on an international waterway. "That is current international law," he said, according to the Department of State.

He added that he did not believe Washington needed to persuade any country in the Gulf region on the matter. "I think every nation in this region will be aligned with us on this," he said.

Iran had agreed under a memorandum of understanding signed with the United States to keep the Strait of Hormuz open without charge for 60 days. Concerns have since emerged that Tehran may seek to impose fees under various pretexts after that period expires. Iran also issued a joint statement with Oman on Tuesday saying the two countries were reviewing plans to charge fees for navigation services through the strait.

Analysts have warned that any move to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz could place a significant burden on Gulf states bordering the Persian Gulf. Rubio is scheduled to visit three Gulf countries — the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain — through Thursday.

Asked whether his talks would address Gulf states' anxieties about the MOU — including its failure to cover Iran's missile capabilities and Tehran-backed proxy forces — Rubio said those issues "will certainly come up in the discussions."

"There are things outside the MOU that will clearly be addressed," he said, citing Article 1 of the MOU. He added that he believed missiles and proxy forces were covered under the agreement and would "be addressed at the appropriate time in the (follow-on) negotiations" with Iran.

Article 1 of the MOU calls for an end to hostilities, including war and military operations, on all fronts. Rubio argued that ending regional hostilities and conflict is impossible as long as Iranian proxy forces continue launching missiles and drones from Iraq and engaging in acts of terrorism, as Hamas and Hezbollah have done.

Iran had earlier pushed back against the US characterization of the agreement. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said at a press briefing that the country's missile program "has never been part of our talks" with the United States and "will never be subject to negotiations with any party."

On speculation that Rubio would ask Gulf states to contribute to a $300 billion Iran reconstruction fund outlined in the MOU, he drew a line, calling it "far down the road."

"That is contingent on progress being made on a number of security issues that need to be addressed going forward," he added.

Rubio pushed back against Iran's refusal to acknowledge the US announcement that Tehran had agreed to allow International Atomic Energy Agency nuclear inspections. "We know what they agreed to," he said.

"Whatever their internal or domestic politics are, that's something they'll have to sort out themselves," he said. "If they follow through, the process will move forward. If they don't, the president will make some decisions."

Reuters described Rubio's Gulf tour as an effort to reassure regional allies who suffered economic and security shocks from the US-Iran war and have raised concerns about the terms of the MOU.

The visit also reflects what some observers see as Rubio's attempt to restore diplomatic balance with Gulf allies after taking a back seat to Vice President JD Vance, who has led the push to conclude the ceasefire MOU with Iran and steer the follow-on negotiations.