US tells Gulf allies it wants deal with Iran but not ‘at any price’

MANAMA, Bahrain – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on June 25 that a deal with Iran would not come at any price, as he sought to reassure America’s Gulf allies that it would not undermine their security.

Rubio was in Bahrain as part of a regional tour of Gulf partners hit hardest by Iran during the Middle East war, which began on Feb 28 with a massive US-Israeli campaign of strikes against Iran.

The United States and Iran have signed a preliminary deal to end the war, embarking on negotiations expected to touch on thorny issues, including Tehran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief and global energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Gulf and Israel have long voiced concerns about Iran’s support for proxies in the region and its missile programme, but it remains unclear whether these topics will be addressed in the negotiations.

“While we want a deal, we don’t want a deal at any price,” Rubio told a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Bahrain.

“We want to ensure that there is no part of this deal that’s undertaken that, in any way, undermines the security, the stability or the prosperity of any of our partners in the Gulf region,” he said.

Rubio also sought to reassure the energy-rich Gulf that the Strait of Hormuz, which they have relied on for decades to export oil and liquefied natural gas, would remain toll-free.

Iran imposed a blockade of the waterway during the war as part of its retaliation against the US-Israeli campaign, sparking a global economic shock.

It has since said it plans to introduce what it terms maritime service fees, with the Revolutionary Guards warning on June 25 that any unauthorised crossings would be “dealt with”.

The US and its allies have flatly rejected the introduction of fees or tolls, with Rubio reiterating Washington’s position that the Hormuz strait should be deemed an international waterway.

“International waterways do not belong to any nation state. This is a foundational principle in the world today, without which the world would be in total chaos,” he said.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow stretch of water between Iran and Oman that leads to international waters, making it a chokepoint for crucial energy shipments out of the Gulf.

On June 24, Oman released a map of a new temporary shipping route through the strait running close to its coast. It said the route was coordinated with the International Maritime Organisation, a UN agency responsible for marine safety.

Iran later appeared to denounce the new corridor in a statement by the Revolutionary Guards, but did not refer to Oman specifically.

The memorandum of understanding signed last week by Tehran and Washington stipulated that commercial ships may transit the strait free of charge for the next 60 days.

It is unclear what arrangements will be in place after that period.

Iran has emerged emboldened from the war, vowing not to relinquish control of Hormuz and calling its initial deal with Washington to stop the war “a declaration of America’s defeat”.

US President Donald Trump met with NATO chief Mark Rutte at the White House on June 25, and said the US was “doing great” in the negotiations.

Trump also asked Congress for nearly US$88 billion (S$115 billion) in supplemental funding, mostly to cover the cost of the war, just a day after Congress called on him to end the conflict unless lawmakers explicitly authorise military action.

Iran slammed NATO on June 25 after Rutte noted its support for the US, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei accusing the transatlantic bloc of “complicity” in an “unlawful war”.

Rubio and mediator Pakistan said technical talks between the US and Iran were expected to resume in the coming days following a first round in Switzerland.

Qatar’s prime minister, meanwhile, travelled to Oman to initiate talks on the strait between the Gulf states, Iraq and Iran, a diplomat said.

The diplomat said Gulf countries would push for no-charge freedom of navigation, while Iran was expected to ask for an environmental and security service fee.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, another diplomat said separate talks on reconciliation between Gulf countries and Iran were expected to be held in Saudi Arabia, though they did not specify a date. AFP