US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned that Washington will not allow Iran to normalize its control over the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that any attempt by Tehran to turn the chokepoint into a de facto Iranian‑run toll corridor would be met with serious consequences. Speaking in recent interviews and press appearances, Rubio framed Iran’s moves in the Strait as a direct challenge to international law and global energy security, which the United States is determined to counter.
Rubio has said that Iran’s efforts to establish control over the Strait including talk of setting up toll‑like charges for commercial vessels are “illegal, unacceptable, and intolerable.” He has warned that if Iran tries to cement this control after the current war‑like operations subside, the US will treat it as a strategic red line and act to prevent such a scenario from taking root.
Rubio has also reiterated President Donald Trump’s line that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen “one way or another,” with the US and its partners prepared to use diplomatic, economic, and military tools to remove any Iranian blockade or chokehold. Washington sees the Strait as a vital international waterway that cannot be monopolized by a single state, especially one it categorizes as a regional adversary.
Beyond the threat of direct action, Rubio has urged other countries to join in ensuring the Strait remains open and secure, arguing that the entire world has been affected by Iran’s disruption of shipping and attacks on commercial vessels. At international forums such as the Group of Seven foreign ministers’ meeting, he has called on partners to step up maritime security cooperation and to refuse to accept any Iranian‑imposed passage rules.
The US has also extended diplomatic pressure beyond Europe, engaging partners such as China and India to avoid legitimizing or accommodating an Iranian‑dominated Strait of Hormuz. Rubio’s repeated message is that Iran may seek to use the Strait as leverage, but Washington will not tolerate a new status quo in which Tehran assumes long‑term control over one of the world’s most critical energy routes.