President Donald Trump threatened to attack Oman on Wednesday, May 27, if the Arab nation aligns with Iran to assert joint control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has discussed partnering with Oman to impose tolls on ships traversing the strategic waterway.
Trump's Warning at Cabinet Meeting
During a cabinet meeting this week, Trump stated, "Nobody's going to control it. That's part of the negotiation that we have. They would like to control it." He added, "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 State Department tweeted a video of Trump's warning, indicating the U.S. government was not shying away from the threat.
Negotiations and Military Posturing
U.S. and Iranian negotiators are working to finalize a memorandum of understanding that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping without tolls, allowing additional time for an agreement on Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpiles. Trump, 79, added at the cabinet meeting that if a deal is not reached, "we'll have to just finish the job" militarily.
Oman previously served as a mediator between the U.S. and Iran before the launch of Operation Epic Fury on February 28.
