The United States and Iran at an impasse over Hormuz Strait tolls

U.S. Secretary of State Rubio stated that Washington will not accept tolls on ships passing through the Hormuz Strait.

Iran has previously stated that it wants to impose a "maritime service fee" on ships.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has arrived in the United Arab Emirates, beginning a series of meetings with U.S. allies in the Gulf.

The trip focuses on the U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and is seen as an opportunity for Rubio to hear complaints about the agreement from Gulf Arab leaders. He landed in Abu Dhabi where he will meet with Emirati leaders before heading to Kuwait and Bahrain.

Upon arriving in the UAE, Rubio stated that the U.S. will not accept any money or fees from the Hormuz Strait, reiterating that any final agreement with Tehran prohibits Iran from charging for the passage.

SECRETARY RUBIO: "No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway." pic.twitter.com/eFAbLRtOIc

Rubio's remarks came after Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told Iranian state media on Tuesday that "everyone will know that the administration of the Hormuz Strait will never return to how it was before the war."

Iran has consistently indicated that it wants to introduce a system it calls "maritime costs" for the strait after the conclusion of a two-month negotiation period with the United States. The memorandum of understanding states that Tehran will allow ships to pass through free of charge for only 60 days.