U.S. president Donald Trump has threatened Oman with U.S. military action if the country “gets in the way” of his administration’s negotiations with Iran, according to a telephone interview with Fox News.
According to Fox News, the network’s correspondent Trey Yingst, citing Trump, reported that the U.S. president used an expletive while threatening Oman during the conversation. The remarks come as Muscat plays a key role in negotiations concerning the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials have said that Tehran and Oman are close to reaching an agreement on issues related to the Strait of Hormuz. However, the future of negotiations between Iran and the United States remains uncertain, and the 60-day memorandum of understanding between the two sides has effectively expired.
The Strait of Hormuz has remained largely blocked since military hostilities involving Iran, the United States, and Israel began in February. The waterway is one of the world’s most important energy transit routes, with roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas typically transported through it.
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz has now become a central issue in negotiations among the parties involved in the conflict. The United States, alongside Oman’s efforts, is also pursuing separate negotiations aimed at securing the reopening of the vital maritime route.
Oman, which lies along the southern side of the Strait of Hormuz, has stated that it maintains a neutral position in the ongoing conflict. However, the country has been targeted in several attacks by Iran during this period and continues to serve as a mediator in negotiations concerning the reopening of the strait.
During the same telephone interview with Fox News, Trump also claimed that the United States maintains a direct and confidential channel of communication with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), one of the country’s most influential military, economic, and political institutions.
Trump’s latest remarks about Oman come as diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ease tensions between Iran and the United States continue. It remains unclear what outcome the negotiations between the two sides will produce.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
