US Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes that if Iran charges a fee for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a similar situation may arise in other parts of the world. He presented this position during his speech at the meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Manila. According to the Secretary of State, Iran "demands the right to control shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which it does not have under any legal mechanism."
Rubio believes this "could set a precedent where one state decides to take control of an international shipping lane, charges tolls for passage and opens fire on ships that refuse to pay." "If we create such a dangerous precedent, it can be repeated in other parts of the world, including in this region," the US Secretary of State insisted.
In his opinion, "fundamental principles of freedom of navigation are at stake, and if a threat arises, the global economy and the rules governing international trade for the past 150 years may be exposed to similar risks."
