Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it 'gets in the way' of US-Iran deal
The US president also threatened to "blow up" the Gulf partner in May.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump again threatened on Monday to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” of a potential US deal with Iran.
Trump’s warning came as a spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that Tehran and Muscat had reached an “understanding” regarding shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz. The vital waterway, which carried roughly 20% of the world’s oil before the war, is situated between the two countries.
"If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Fox News in a phone interview when asked about the talks between Iran and Oman.
Oman has long acted as a mediator between Washington and Tehran and facilitated negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program in the run-up to the war.
Following reports that Oman and Iran had discussed levying fees in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump in May called on Muscat to “behave … or else we’ll have to blow them up.” His treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, has also warned the Gulf partner it could face sanctions if it cooperates with Iran to charge fees.
An interim agreement between the United States and Iran in mid-June called for toll-free passage of the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days, after which Iran and Oman would “define the future administration” of the strait. The deal began to unravel after Iran fired on vessels that were using a US Navy-protected route along Oman's coast.
Tehran has sought to levy charges on ships passing through the strait, while Washington insists that passage remain free, as it was before the war.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters at a news conference Monday that the talks with Oman were “separate from the discussion of reopening the Strait of Hormuz,” which he described as “contingent upon the removal of the conditions” imposed by the United States. Iran's demands include war reparations and the lifting of a US naval blockade on Iranian ports.
A 60-day deadline established in June for the two sides to reach a permanent agreement to end their war and curb Iran’s nuclear program expired on Monday. In the Fox interview, Trump said he’s in no hurry to reach a deal and called for Iran to "put up the white flag of surrender."
This developing story has been updated since initial publication.
