U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reiterated that nations benefiting from safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will eventually have to pay the United States.
Secretary Rubio explained President Donald Trump's plan to reporters on July 19 (local time) before departing for the Philippines to attend the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
He asserted, "We (the U.S.) are providing a service to protect vessels passing through the strait on behalf of the entire world, and the U.S. is the only one doing anything of that nature."
He further explained, "President Trump's fundamental point is that at some point, the countries that benefit from the operation of vessels passing through the strait should step up and at least provide financial support for the costs of providing this very valuable service."
Secretary Rubio's remarks were made to provide background on President Trump's announcement that he would collect tolls from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a plan he later reversed following demands from Middle Eastern countries.
President Trump had initially announced a plan on July 13 to collect a toll amounting to 20% of the cargo value, but stated the following day that he would replace it with trade and investment agreements with Middle Eastern nations.
Since the start of the war with Iran, President Trump has frequently expressed the view that the U.S. could collect tolls in the Strait of Hormuz to shift the burden of U.S. military costs onto other nations.
Even on June 20, after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to end the war with Iran, he stated that if a final agreement with Iran is not reached, the U.S. could collect tolls as compensation for the services provided to Middle Eastern countries.
As the Strait of Hormuz is a natural waterway where tolls cannot be collected under international law, President Trump's remarks about imposing costs for the use of the service in any form have sparked international controversy.
In the past, Secretary Rubio himself had expressed opposition to plans for collecting tolls in the region, stating that current international law dictates that no country can collect tolls or fees in international waterways. (Photo: AP, Yonhap News)