On May 27, President Trump warned his Gulf ally Oman not to strike any deal with Iran to jointly control the Strait of Hormuz, or face U.S. bombing. But shortly after making the threat, Trump said he didn’t think the U.S. would actually need to take such action.
When asked by reporters about the strait, Trump said: “Oman’s going to follow the rules like everyone else, or we’ll have to blow them up. They know that, and they’ll be fine.”
Reports say Iran and Oman are discussing a permanent toll system for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump responded on Monday that if the two sides reach such a deal, there would be serious consequences. He claimed the strait would be open to all, saying: “Nobody’s going to control it. We’ll be watching it.”
Oman’s foreign ministry didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Earlier on Monday, Iran’s deputy secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Bagheri, said Iran and the U.S. have not yet reached an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz.
