U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized on Tuesday, June 23, that under the final agreement between Washington and Tehran, Iran will not be allowed to collect tolls or fees from ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, as such an action would contradict international law.
Rubio, who arrived in Abu Dhabi as the first destination of his tour of Persian Gulf countries, told reporters: “No country is authorized to collect tolls or fees for an international waterway. This is part of existing international law.”
The U.S. Secretary of State also stressed that as long as proxy groups backed by the Islamic Republic continue their missile attacks, lasting peace in the region will not be possible. He added that this issue would be addressed “at the appropriate time.”
Regarding Lebanon, Rubio stated that ceasefire negotiations in that country are separate from any agreement between the Islamic Republic and the United States. He clarified: “Lebanon is a sovereign country and has a government. We will negotiate and engage directly with the Lebanese government regarding Lebanon and what is happening inside the country.”
The U.S. Secretary of State emphasized that Lebanon’s future will be determined by its own people, and that the Lebanon file is not part of the negotiations with Tehran.
