US Secretary of State Says Gulf States Reject Tariffs on the Strait of Hormuz

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that there is absolutely no support among Gulf countries for any form of tariff or fee on the use of the Strait of Hormuz. “There is no support whatsoever among the Gulf states for any form of tariff, fee, or anything that imposes a levy on the use of international waters,” Rubio told reporters in Bahrain. He said he held very good meetings with the Gulf states, adding that “they conveyed to us a number of very concrete concerns and ideas. As we enter these negotiations (with Iran) both at the technical and political level, we want them to be involved.” Rubio added that the United States would not make any decisions or commitments that in any way harm the prosperity, stability, or security of its partners in the Gulf region. He further stated that a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran was not discussed with the Gulf states. According to him, the reconstruction fund “is still far down the road, and will be addressed at the appropriate time in this process.” “We very much hope to soon obtain a commitment of intent from both countries which I think begins to paint a promising future,” he said, commenting on the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Lebanon. Rubio added that it would be a process, would take time, and would require a great deal of hard work. “But I can say that for the first time in 30 years, the sovereign government of Lebanon is speaking directly with the Israeli government,” he said.