Rubio rejects tolls in Strait of Hormuz as Senate votes to curb Trump's war powers

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterates that Iran would not be allowed to charge tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, following talks between Tehran and Oman on navigation arrangements in the waterway.

Rubio made the remark as he landed in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday, kicking off his Gulf visit, which also includes Kuwait and Bahrain.

"No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway," Rubio told reporters when asked if the United States could guarantee freedom of navigation in the strait, which remains a point of contention.

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Oman and Iran said in a joint statement on Tuesday that the two "coastal states sharing the Strait of Hormuz" reaffirm their commitment to ensuring safe passage through the strait in accordance with the relevant provisions of international law and the provisions set in the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

They also emphasized their sovereignty and sovereign rights over their territorial waters in the strait.

In addition, the two sides agreed to continue dialogue on the matter through a joint working team between their foreign ministries,"with the aim of reaching an agreement on the future management of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the services to be provided in this regard, and the associated costs, in accordance with international standards", the statement said.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Iran has told the United States that no tolls were being sought from ships traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

There are "no tolls, no insurance costs, and no other charges of any kind being sought or received by Iran" on ships traveling the strait, Trump said on social media.

In a post on X, Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi acknowledged the "constructive discussions" on the Iran-US memorandum of understanding, "especially the Strait of Hormuz paragraph", saying "we affirmed commitment to international law and toll-free safe passage".

Meanwhile, the US Senate for the first time approved a war powers resolution on Tuesday seeking to block US military action against Iran, as lawmakers warily watch Trump's efforts to resolve a conflict that the administration launched on its own and now needs Congress to fund.

It was the 10th time the Senate had tried to stop the war, and the outcome, on a vote of 50-48, was a stunning turnaround from past efforts.

While the resolution is largely symbolic and does not carry the full force of law, it reflects the growing concerns from a number of Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate over both the war and the deal Trump struck with Iran to end it. The House approved the resolution earlier this month.

Trump responded angrily on Tuesday night, calling the vote "poorly timed and meaningless" and saying it "provided aid and comfort" to Iran.

Evacuating seafarers

As countries attempted to reach a consensus on the Strait of Hormuz, the International Maritime Organization said on Tuesday that it would begin implementing an evacuation plan for more than 11,000 seafarers stranded in the waterway.

The agency's secretary-general, Arsenio Dominguez, said they have secured safety guarantees and have thoroughly verified the conditions for safe navigation to support the operations.

An IMO spokesperson said on Wednesday that "ships have already begun to pass under the plan", declining to provide any details of the vessels that had crossed.

Dominguez welcomed "with deep satisfaction" the US-Iran peace agreement, saying it marked "a decisive step toward restoring maritime security and bringing to an end the unacceptable attacks against civilian shipping".

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He also paid a tribute to 14 "innocent seafarers who tragically lost their lives during this conflict".

The Maritime Security Centre of Oman said on Wednesday that, in coordination with the IMO, it would provide a shipping transit corridor in the Strait of Hormuz on the basis of Oman's responsibilities toward the strait and its importance to the global economy.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told journalists in Islamabad that technical talks between the US and Iran could resume early next week, Al Jazeera reported, adding that June 29 or July 1 were also possible start dates, without providing details on the location of discussions.

AP contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at jan@chinadailyapac.com