Toll at Hormuz unacceptable, reviewing US military presence in Europe not punitive action: Rubio
Stockholm, May 22 : US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that Iran imposing tolls for transit in the Strait of Hormuz is "simply unacceptable" and "cannot happen". If this were to occur in the Strait of Hormuz, he said during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Sweden's Helsingborg, then it would also happen in five other places around the world.
"Why shouldn't countries around the world say 'we want to do that too?' Not to mention how vital and crucial that Strait is for every country represented here today, but frankly, also for countries not represented here, particularly those in the Indo-Pacific," Rubio continued, adding that the Iranians "are trying, among other things, to convince Oman to join them in this toll system."
According to the US Secretary of State, "there is no country in the world that should accept such a claim, and I don't know of any country in the world that declares itself in favour of it - with the exception of Iran, of course - but, in any case, there is no country in the world that should accept it".
Rubio, reported Adnkronos news agency, then highlighted that a resolution promoted by Bahrain is currently under discussion at the United Nations.
"The resolution boasts the highest number of co-sponsors ever recorded for a text submitted to the Security Council. Unfortunately, a couple of Security Council member states are considering vetoing it. That would be a regrettable outcome. However, we are doing everything possible to build the global consensus needed to prevent that from happening," he continued.
"We will see if the United Nations still works. It is there that we will try to achieve a concrete result. I believe that almost all countries represented here today have joined as co-sponsors of this resolution. And if they haven't yet, I am sure they will do so soon," he added.
Regarding the ongoing negotiations with Iran, "we are awaiting updates on the current talks, but slight progress has been made. I don't want to exaggerate, but there has been some movement, and that is positive," the US Secretary of State further stated, emphasising: "The fundamental principles remain the same: Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon. It simply cannot. This regime can never have nuclear weapons. And to ensure that, we will have to address the issue of enrichment."
As for the United States' decision to review its military presence in Europe, it is not a "punitive measure", he stated. "It is clear that the United States continues to have global commitments to honour in terms of force deployment: this requires us to constantly review the deployment of our troops. This is not a punitive measure," Rubio affirmed, adding that it is "a process that will continue and that, I am convinced, will allow us to reach decisions in a very positive and productive way, thanks to collaboration with our allies. Ultimately, however - as in any alliance - the relationship must be beneficial for all involved parties."
"We are here to lay the groundwork for what, in my opinion, will probably be one of the most important leaders' summits in NATO history." Rubio then concluded: "The President's views," meaning "his disappointment with some of our NATO allies and their response to our operations in the Middle East, are well documented. The issue will have to be addressed. It will not be resolved or addressed today; it is a topic for discussion at the leaders' level."