US President Donald Trump has threatened to 'blow up' Oman if it fails to 'behave' during a cabinet meeting, amid tensions over control of the Strait of Hormuz. The strait, a vital waterway carrying about a fifth of the world's oil supplies, has been blockaded by Iran since late February, triggering a global energy crisis.
Trump made the remark after reports that Iran and Oman are discussing a joint toll system for ships passing through the strait. 'The strait is going to be open to everybody. Nobody's going to control it,' Trump declared on Tuesday. 'Oman will behave just like everybody else. Or else we'll have to blow them up. They understand that. They'll be fine.'
Oman, a Gulf nation of 5.3 million people, has long-standing military and economic ties with the US and has played a mediation role in the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran. The White House did not clarify whether Trump had misspoken, and Oman's embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
Trump's efforts to strike a peace deal with Iran have so far failed. During the meeting, he accused Iran of trying to stall negotiations until November's US midterm elections. Republican hawks, including Senate armed services committee chair Roger Wicker, have criticised a rumoured 60-day ceasefire, calling it a 'disaster'.
