US President Donald Trump has sparked diplomatic concern after appearing to issue a warning directed at Oman over its potential role in managing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Before the latest US military strikes in the region, Trump rejected an Iranian report suggesting an imminent agreement that would involve Iran and Oman jointly managing traffic through the strategic waterway.
He insisted that no single country should have control over the strait, which is one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.
“Nothing’s going to control it,” Trump said, referring to the waterway. “It’s international waters and Oman will behave just like everybody else or we’ll have to blow them up. They understand that, they’ll be fine.”
The remarks appeared to directly reference Oman, a long-standing US partner that maintains strong military and economic ties with Washington and has often played a diplomatic role in regional negotiations.
The White House and Oman’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry later expressed solidarity with Oman, condemning what it described as “US officials’ threats” and criticising recent American attacks in the Bandar Abbas area.
The comments come amid rising tensions in the Gulf, where disputes over control and access to the Strait of Hormuz have intensified alongside ongoing military exchanges between the United States and Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical global energy chokepoint, with a significant share of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passing through it.
