President Donald Trump on Monday issued a direct threat to bomb Oman if the nation “gets in the way” of a US-led deal concerning the Strait of Hormuz. In an interview with Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, the president stated, “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them.” This warning targets ongoing negotiations between Omani and Iranian officials regarding future maritime navigation arrangements through the vital shipping route.
Tehran’s foreign ministry confirmed on Monday that Iran and Oman have been working for weeks on a joint declaration to manage the waterway. This diplomatic effort occurs while Washington simultaneously pursues its own separate talks. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy and commodity shipments, has been effectively closed by Tehran since the Middle East war began on February 28.
Despite the current throttling of maritime traffic, President Trump continues to insist the strait remains under US control. On Friday, he claimed he would declare the waterway part of US territory, a move Iran immediately rejected, asserting that the energy corridor “will remain Iranian.” Before the current US-Israeli conflict, the strait was recognized as an open, international waterway.
Tehran has utilized its control over the strait as leverage against US-led efforts to dismantle its military and abandon its nuclear power program. Iran’s coast borders the north side of the strait, while Oman sits to the south. Trump also demanded that Iran “put up the white flag of surrender,” according to Yingst’s post on X regarding the interview.
Trump further disclosed the existence of a direct back-channel between his administration and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Regarding the Iranian leadership, Trump told Yingst, “They’re good poker players, but they’re dying.” The president maintained he is in no hurry to reach a deal, despite the war’s deep unpopularity among American voters ahead of the upcoming November midterm elections, where Democrats are challenging the Republican majority in Congress. The report also notes that however, Trump has repeatedly insisted that the strait — which Tehran effectively closed at the start of the Middle East war on February 28 – is under US control despite traffic remaining throttled.
Source: Gulf Today
