In a hair‑pinching phone call, President Donald Trump warned Oman that the U.S. would *bomb* the country if it interfered with talks with Iran, Fox News reports.
The former president also claimed he had a direct back‑channel with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – a headline that Iran’s officials immediately knocked down as a mistake.
Oman, which prides itself on neutrality, has been pushing to reopen the maritime chokepoint known as the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one‑fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes.
The sit‑down comes as the 60‑day Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that the U.S. and Iran signed last month is about to expire, and U.S. forces have threatened a “full” reopening of the waterway if Iran wants a payout for stopped trade.
Trump’s remarks were mixed with a “no‑hurried” stance on ending the war, and he reminded followers that the November midterm elections are “nothing to do with my thinking.”
For context, Iran announced Monday it and Oman had reached an understanding for commercial shipping through the strait. However, the U.S. continues to demand a quick reopening after recent clashes have effectively closed the passage.
Trump’s rhetoric and the regional implications underline a complicated dance of diplomacy, war‑plane deployments, and economic interests that could shape the Middle‑East for months to come.
