Donald Trump has made a shocking threat against Oman as the country tries to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. president reportedly told Fox News that he would bomb the U.S. ally if it got in the way of his administration’s talks with Iran. His comments came on Monday, Aug. 17, just hours after Iran said it had reached an agreement with Oman on a route for ships to travel through the important waterway.
Donald Trump threatened Oman over its Iran negotiations as the U.S.-Iran ceasefire approaches its deadline and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed
Oman has been trying to help both sides find a way forward, but Trump clearly does not want its separate talks with Iran to get in the way of what his administration is trying to do. “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Fox News reporter Trey Yingst during a phone interview, according to a report by the BBC.
The comment came at a tense time.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said earlier that Iran and Oman had reached an “understanding” about a map showing where ships could travel through the Strait of Hormuz. He said the two sides would work out the remaining details before making a joint announcement.
The waterway has been largely closed for nearly six months amid the war between the U.S. and Iran. Oman, which sits along the southern side of the strait, has maintained that it is neutral in the conflict. The country has also faced several attacks from Iran while trying to help with negotiations.
Trump also claimed that the U.S. has a direct backchannel with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC. But an IRGC spokesman quickly denied that claim, calling it a lie.
The latest developments come as a 60-day agreement between the U.S. and Iran is also coming to an end. The agreement, signed on June 18, was meant to support a ceasefire and help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, the deal later fell apart as fighting between the two countries continued.
Trump does not appear to be in a hurry to end the war either. “They’re good poker players, but they’re dying,” he said during his Fox interview. “I have no time schedule. I’m not in a hurry.”
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