Rubio Hints At ‘Plan B’ In Iran Despite New Developments

Behind the scenes, Pakistan is again stepping into the middle. As Islamabad seeks to keep the discussions going, Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, identified by security sources as a major intermediary between Washington and Tehran, is heading to Tehran for consultations with Iranian officials. Rubio’s measured tone carries a stark red line: Iran’s efforts to impose what it terms a “tolling system” in the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio called the notion a nonstarter, saying it would make diplomacy difficult and would reach well beyond the region.

“No one in ​the world is in favor of the tolling system,” Rubio said. “It can’t happen. ​It would be unacceptable.” “⁠It would make ⁠a diplomatic deal unfeasible if they were to continue ‌to pursue that. So it’s a threat to the world if they were ‌trying to do that, and it’s completely illegal,” Rubio added. The pressure point remains the Strait of Hormuz. The small river transports almost a fifth of global oil exports, and disruptions have unsettled markets and governments with shipments slowed and costs rising.