Donald Trump has threatened to "bomb the s***" out of Oman if it "gets in the way" as the US attempts to broker a peace deal with Iran.
Threat over Strait of Hormuz
The US President made the remarks on Fox News amid reports that Iran and Oman are close to finalising an agreement over commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The US and Tehran have been locked in a battle for control of the strategically crucial waterway since peace talks began.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump said: "If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the s*** out of them."
Iran confirms agreement
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed the regime had reached an agreement with Oman over commercial shipping through the strait. He announced on Saturday: "Despite US obstruction, the talks have made positive progress over the past three weeks, and an agreement has been reached on the shipping route map."
The POTUS, meanwhile, has declared his intention to claim the Strait of Hormuz as US territory once the conflict with Iran concludes. Speaking on Friday, he said: "After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated - pretty soon, I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States. Essentially, that's what it is. We have a blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to."
Military threats and trade impact
This comes after one of Iran's most senior military leaders threatened to "break" Trump's legs. Major General Amir Hatami fired back at the President's comments over the Strait of Hormuz, warning that Iran had defenders who would "break your legs".
The strait is a critical international trade route, with approximately a fifth of the world's oil passing through it prior to the start of the war in March. The ongoing battle for control of the waterway has since sent global fuel prices rocketing.
Since peace talks began Trump has maintained that his primary objective is to strip Iran of its nuclear capabilities. Taking to Truth Social, he wrote: "The number one Goal is, and always will be, that Iran cannot have, in any way, shape, or form, a Nuclear Weapon. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
