The United States has drawn a firm line against Iran's attempt to monetize the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, rejecting any proposal that would allow Tehran to impose tolls on commercial vessels passing through the waterway.
The stance was clarified during US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to Gulf states this week, signaling that Washington will not permit Iran to extract revenue from the critical energy corridor even as diplomatic channels explore a path to de-escalation.
The development emerges as Iran seeks to generate billions of dollars from the restoration of shipping traffic, according to reports citing officials familiar with the matter.
Tehran's strategy appears to leverage its geographic control over the strait, through which a significant portion of global oil supplies transit, as a bargaining chip in broader negotiations.
However, the US position underscores that any agreement to lift American oil sanctions must not come at the cost of imposing new financial burdens on international trade.
This friction adds complexity to recent diplomatic overtures, including a draft memorandum presented by Iran to the United States proposing the reopening of the strait in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.