Abu Dhabi: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said no country can impose tariffs on ships using the Strait of Hormuz as he began a tour of Gulf allies following recent “encouraging progress” in US-Iran talks in Switzerland.
Rubio told reporters upon arriving in Abu Dhabi that “it’s an international waterway. No country is allowed to charge a fee or a service fee on an international waterway. That’s the existing international law.”
Rubio is due to meet with the Emirati leader on Wednesday before travelling to Kuwait and Bahrain, where he will attend a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting.
Several Gulf states hosting US military bases have come under Iranian retaliatory fire following the US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) among the countries hardest hit.
UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed regional developments with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty following the signing of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
During the phone conversation, the two leaders highlighted continued coordination to face current regional challenges to achieve peace, stability and development, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It is worth noting that Iran and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding last week to end hostilities on all fronts, including Lebanon, paving the way for high-level talks in the Swiss resort of Burgenstock.
Edited by Chhouk Bora
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