US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Oman if the US ally interferes with Washington’s efforts to negotiate a deal with Iran, according to Fox News.
The warning came as the United States and Oman pursue separate diplomatic efforts with Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes.
Fox reporter Trey Yingst quoted Trump as saying, “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” during a phone interview.
Oman, which borders the southern side of the Strait, has maintained that it is neutral in the conflict and has emerged as a key intermediary between Iran and other parties. The country has also suffered several strikes during the conflict.
According to a report by BBC, Iranian officials said they were close to finalising an agreement with Oman to reopen the waterway, while the future of separate US-Iran negotiations remains uncertain as a 60-day Memorandum of Understanding expires.
Trump also claimed that Washington maintains a direct backchannel with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
However, an IRGC spokesman denied the claim, calling it a fabrication and saying no talks were taking place between IRGC officials and Americans.
