Trump: Strait of Hormuz Must Be 'Open and Free' — Rejects Iranian Tolling; Rubio: 'Cannot Accept' Toll or Coordination Requirement — Day 84

President Trump on May 22, 2026 (Day 84) issued a direct and explicit rejection of Iran's proposed Hormuz tolling system, stating: 'We want it open. We want it free. We don't want tolls. It's international. It's an international waterway.' The statement reinforces the US red line on navigation freedom that has been a consistent feature of the MOU negotiations since the IRGC established its formal Hormuz maritime control zone on May 4. Secretary of State Rubio separately told reporters on Day 84 that the US 'cannot accept that you have to coordinate with Iran or pay them a toll to transit the Strait of Hormuz.' Rubio's rejection of the toll-and-coordination requirement aligns with UNCLOS customary law on transit passage rights, which prohibit states from charging fees for or requiring prior authorization of transit passage through international straits. Iran's proposed Hormuz tolling system — which charges $1 million+ per vessel and requires prior IRGC authorization — has been the single largest practical barrier to Hormuz reopening even as the broader diplomatic talks have advanced. Trump's 'open and free' demand on Day 84, delivered the same day as the Al Arabiya draft deal leak, effectively sets the Hormuz tolling issue as a US prerequisite for any final agreement — a position Iran has not formally accepted despite the MOU framework's guarantee of 'freedom of navigation.'