DOHA, June 25. /TASS/. Arab countries do not support the idea of introducing a tolling system for passing through the Strait of Hormuz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after a meeting with the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf in the Bahraini capital of Manama.
"One thing that came across very clear is there is zero support - zero support - among the Gulf countries for any sort of toll or fees or anything that charges for the use of international waters," he said.
According to Rubio, Oman also opposed the idea.
"They were there in the meeting today, and they said it, that they’re not in favor of a tolling system," the US Secretary of State said.
Rubio reiterated that Washington categorically rejects the introduction of a payment system for passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
"The [US] president made it clear that’s not going to happen," Rubio said. "It’s not doable."
It can only be implemented by shelling the ships that refuse to pay, but in this case no ship would agree to pass through Hormuz, the Secretary of State believes.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran, hitting major cities, including Tehran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (elite units of the Iranian army) retaliated with a sweeping attack on Israel. US military installations in Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were also hit. Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to the ships associated with the United States, Israel and the countries that supported aggression against the Islamic Republic. About a quater of the world's oil trade and about 20% of liquefied natural gas are transported through the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington and Tehran recently signed a memorandum of understanding providing for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon. On June 21-22, negotiations between the United States and Iran, mediated by Doha and Islamabad, on the implementation of the memorandum were held in the Swiss resort of Burgenstock. As noted in the joint statement of Pakistan and Qatar at the end of the first round of talks, the meeting was held in a positive and constructive atmosphere, encouraging progress was achieved, including the establishment of a basis for further technical consultations.