U.S. Secretary of State Says Strait of Hormuz Toll System Is Not Feasible

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a toll or fee system for passage through the Strait of Hormuz is not feasible after meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council ministers. According to Jin10, Rubio said the meeting was “very productive” and that Gulf countries raised serious concerns. He said Oman opposed imposing a charging system in the Strait of Hormuz, and that Gulf states did not support collecting transit fees there. Rubio said it was unclear whether Iranian funds held by Qatar had been transferred. He added that the GCC meeting did not discuss a $300 billion reconstruction fund. Rubio said U.S. President Donald Trump had multiple options if negotiations with Iran failed to produce results. He also said the United States was closely monitoring developments involving Israel and Lebanon, and expressed hope for a peaceful future for Lebanon, adding that efforts were under way to facilitate an intention-based commitment between the two countries.