(FOX NEWS) — Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Tuesday that Iran should “not use” the Strait of Hormuz as “a weapon to pressure or to blackmail the Gulf countries.”

He made the remark while speaking alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, adding that the standoff in the key waterway is having economic impacts on countries in the region, according to Gulf News.

The comment comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Qatar’s prime minister on Saturday.

The State Department said the two “discussed U.S. support for Qatar’s defense, and the importance of continued close coordination to deter threats and promote stability and security across the Middle East.”