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Rubio Says No Country Allowed to Charge Tolls in International Waterway

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday said that no country is permitted to charge tolls in international maritime corridors.

"No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway. That's existing international law," Rubio said when asked whether the US and its allies can guarantee freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Rubio made the remarks during a press interaction at the Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi.

He said discussions over the last 72 hours established a framework for progress with Iran, although negotiations remain ongoing.

Asked about Iran's claim that it had not agreed to International Atomic Energy Agency inspections, Rubio said, "We know what they agreed to do."

"And now they'll either do it or they won't. And if they do, the process moves forward. And if they don't, the President will have some decisions to make," Rubio added.

Rubio said the US is consulting Gulf partners following meetings in Switzerland and wants their views considered as negotiations move forward.

"I think there's a framework and an outline upon which we can make real progress. I think good groundwork was laid over the last 72 hours, but a lot of work remains to be done," Rubio said.

The Secretary said Gulf allies support efforts to achieve peace, while emphasizing that regional security and economic concerns remain important considerations in the talks.

Rubio said discussions about any future reconstruction fund for Iran remain premature and would depend on decisions made by Iran's leadership as well as progress on broader security matters.

"If Iran makes a decision, if its leadership makes a decision that they want to be a country instead of a revolutionary movement that exports terror, they're going to have an opportunity to do incredible things in Iran," Rubio said.

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