The United States has warned that any final agreement with Iran to end the Middle East conflict must not come “at any cost.” Speaking during a diplomatic tour of Gulf monarchies—key U.S. allies—the American Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized Washington’s firm stance amid ongoing negotiations in Switzerland between the two countries. Those talks, which began last week, follow a June 17 “memorandum of understanding”—a preliminary agreement aimed at achieving a durable resolution to the war that erupted on February 28.
Strait of Hormuz at the Center of Tensions
A major sticking point in the negotiations is Iran’s plan to impose transit fees for vessels passing through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz—a narrow waterway, roughly 30 kilometers wide, separating Iran and Oman. Before the war, an estimated 20% of the world’s oil consumption passed through this chokepoint. The U.S. strongly opposes the idea, arguing it would set a dangerous global precedent.
“If we accepted that any country could charge fees for using an international maritime route simply because it lies near its territory, it would spread across the world like an epidemic,” Rubio stated in Bahrain, addressing counterparts from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Recent Attack Raises Alarm
Tensions escalated further after a cargo ship came under attack on Thursday, June 25, 2026, in the Gulf of Oman—just after having safely transited the Strait. According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the vessel was struck by an unidentified missile, and its origin remains unclear. The incident prompted the suspension of an emergency maritime evacuation plan launched two days earlier by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). That plan had aimed to clear around 600 ships stranded in the Gulf since the war began—though the attacked vessel was not part of the operation.
Oman Rejects Transit Fees; Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Issue Warning
Oman—the nation on the opposite side of the Strait—has also rejected Tehran’s proposed fees. The Sultanate confirmed no transit tolls will be included in future arrangements for the waterway. Instead, it announced plans for a “temporary maritime corridor,” developed in coordination with the United Nations.
In contrast, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—the ideological military arm of the Islamic Republic—issued a stark warning: it will take “appropriate measures” against any vessel attempting passage without its prior authorization.