U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said ASEAN leaders in Manila that Iran's demand to collect tolls in the Strait of Hormuz would jeopardize the global economy [4].
The warning comes as the U.S. balances a willingness to engage in diplomacy with a firm stance against actions that could disrupt one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes. Because the Strait of Hormuz is a primary artery for global oil shipments, any attempt by Iran to control traffic or impose fees could trigger significant economic instability.
Rubio spoke during an ASEAN regional gathering on July 22, 2026 [1]. He said that Iran has been attempting to contact the U.S. both directly and indirectly to discuss settling differences. However, he said that despite previous agreements, Iran has not kept its commitments.
"As of now, despite their direct outreaches — and Iran has been reaching out to the United States, both directly and indirectly, to engage in talks about settling the differences — with regards to what's happening in that part of the world, unfortunately, so far, even though we have reached agreements, they have not kept their commitments," Rubio said [0].
Despite these tensions, Rubio said that the U.S. is not closed to dialogue. He said, "We are open-minded and always willing to engage in negotiated settlements of differences" [1].
The Secretary of State's presence in Manila also included high-level diplomatic engagement with other regional powers. Reports indicate that Rubio held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as part of the broader ASEAN meet [3].
Rubio specifically highlighted the danger of establishing a precedent where a single nation controls tolls in international waters. He said that Iran's demand to control and collect tolls in the Strait of Hormuz would threaten the world's economy [4].
“"Iran's demand to control and collect tolls in the Strait of Hormuz would threaten the world's economy."”
The U.S. is attempting to build a diplomatic coalition among Southeast Asian nations to isolate Iran's maritime ambitions. By framing Iran's toll demands as a global economic threat rather than a bilateral dispute, the U.S. leverages the economic interests of ASEAN members to discourage regional support for Iranian claims in the Strait of Hormuz.
