WASHINGTON: A diplomatic deal between the United States and Iran would be unfeasible if Tehran implemented a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Thursday.
“No one in the world is in favor of the tolling system. It can’t happen. It would be unacceptable. It would make a diplomatic deal unfeasible if they were to continue to pursue that. So it’s a threat to the world if they were trying to do that, and it’s completely illegal,” Rubio said.
He also told reporters there had been some progress in talks with Tehran to end the US-Israeli war on Iran, but that Washington was dealing with “a system that itself is a little fractured.”
He added: “There’s some good signs, I don’t want to be overly optimistic ... So, let’s see what happens over the next few days.”
Rubio voiced hope Thursday that a visit by Pakistan’s army chief to Iran would advance diplomacy on ending the war, saying there has been progress.
“I believe the Pakistanis will be traveling to Tehran today. So hopefully that’ll advance this further,” Rubio told reporters.
Also on Thursday, Rubio renewed criticism of NATO for not supporting the US war on Iran, as he headed to alliance talks in Sweden.
President Donald Trump is “not asking them to send their fighter jets in. But they refuse to do anything,” Rubio told reporters. “We were very upset about that.”
