Trump threatens to 'bomb' Oman if they get in way of Hormuz deal

US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to bomb Oman if the country interferes with the US blockade of Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz, Fox News reported.

In a phone interview with the network, Trump said, “Oman gets in the way we’ll bomb the s—— out of them.” He said the blockade was putting pressure on Iran and added that he had no timeline for ending the conflict, saying he was not in a hurry.

Also read: Iran, Oman home in on Hormuz Strait deal as ship attacks mount


The conflict between the US and Iran has continued for nearly six months, with efforts to reach a lasting peace agreement stalled and intermittent clashes continuing to disrupt the movement of oil and other commodities through the Strait of Hormuz.

The prolonged conflict has also pushed up oil and gas prices, increasing economic pressure on the Trump administration and creating a political challenge for the president's Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections.

Iran, Oman work on Hormuz shipping map

Iran and Oman have agreed on routes through the Strait of Hormuz as part of discussions on a broader arrangement governing maritime traffic, according to Bloomberg. The proposed “shipping map” is intended to form part of an independent agreement between the two countries that would uphold their sovereignty and provide for safe passage of vessels.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei was cited by state-run Defa Press as saying another round of talks would be held. Details on possible transit fees and security arrangements have not been specified.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, however, said an agreement with Oman would not by itself mean the strait would reopen.

“That is a separate issue. It depends on fulfilling other conditions that the US must abide by for it to take place,” he said on his Telegram channel on Saturday.

Araghchi also said Iran was in contact with mediators from Qatar and Pakistan who were passing messages between Tehran and Washington, but stressed that this did not amount to negotiations. “We have not yet made a decision to resume negotiations with the US,” he said.

The United States was not involved in the Iran-Oman discussions and is unlikely to accept an arrangement that does not restore free passage through the waterway linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Also read: What Bessent’s economic isolation of Iran could look like

Vessel attacks keep pressure on energy markets

The diplomatic efforts have unfolded as attacks on shipping in the region have continued. The UK Maritime Trade Operations said on Saturday it had been notified of a projectile striking the hull of a bulk carrier. Two Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. vessels were also struck while transiting the strait on Thursday, while another was hit on Friday evening, according to reports from the UAE's state-run WAM news agency.

As of August 11, the International Maritime Organization had recorded 65 confirmed incidents involving vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and the broader Middle East during the conflict, with 17 seafarers killed.

The disruption has added to volatility in energy markets. Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose nearly 6% during the week as expectations of a quick resolution to the standoff weakened.

The US is also preparing additional economic measures against Tehran. Trump told Fox News on Friday that Washington planned to hit Iran's economy hard and said he was not concerned about whether the conflict ended before the November US midterm elections.

The war began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran, according to Bloomberg, and has since killed thousands of people, most of them in Iran. Iran's industrial capacity has suffered extensive damage and its crude exports have been sharply curtailed by the US blockade.

Trump has also said the US blockade of Iranian ports was a “wall of steel” that allowed Washington to effectively govern Hormuz. In a speech on Long Island on Friday, he said, “Pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz strait a territory of the United States.”

The standoff comes amid wider regional tensions, with Israel continuing military operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, while the Iran-backed Houthis continue attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.