Trump threatens to bomb Oman if it 'gets in the way' of US-Iran deal

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump again threatened on Monday to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” of a potential US deal with Iran. 

Trump’s warning came as a spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that Tehran and Muscat had reached an “understanding” regarding shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz. The vital waterway, which carried roughly 20% of the world’s oil before the war, is situated between the two countries.

“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Fox News when asked about the talks between Iran and Oman. 

An interim agreement between the United States and Iran in mid-June called for toll-free passage of the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days, after which Iran and Oman will “define the future administration” of the strait. The deal began to unravel after Iran fired on vessels using a US Navy-protected route along Oman’s coast. 

Tehran has sought to levy charges on ships passing through the strait, while Washington insists that passage remain free, as it was before the war. 

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters at a news conference Monday that the talks with Oman were “separate from the discussion of reopening the Strait of Hormuz,” which he described as “contingent upon the removal of the conditions” imposed by the United States. Iran’s demands include war reparations and the lifting of a US naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Oman has long acted as a mediator between the two countries and facilitated negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program in the run-up to the war.

In May, Trump called on Oman to “behave … or else we’ll have to blow them up.” His treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, has also warned the Gulf partner it could face sanctions if it cooperates with Iran to charge fees in the Strait of Hormuz.

This developing story has been updated since initial publication.