Trump quickly said that Oman understood his position and “they’ll be fine.”
The remarkable comments came during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, when Trump was asked if he would accept a short-term deal that allows Oman to control the Strait of Hormuz along with Iran.
“No, the strait’s got to be open to everybody; it’s international waters,” Trump told reporters.
“We’ll watch over it, but nobody’s going to control it. That’s part of the negotiation that we have. They would like to control it; nobody’s going to control it. It’s international waters. And Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow ’em up. They understand that. They’ll be fine.”
The State Department’s official account on social platform X quickly posted a video of Trump’s comments, reiterating the message.
Bordered by Oman and Iran, the Strait of Hormuz has been closed for nearly three months, since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, upending the global energy market. The waterway is a vital pipeline for oil and natural gas shipping, and its closure has caused energy prices to soar.
Washington has attempted without much success to reopen the strait, including an effort in which U.S. Navy ships would escort vessels through the waterway. That plan, announced in early May, was abandoned just two days later.
Trump is now looking for a quick off-ramp to the war, pushing Iran toward a peace agreement even as he has continued to reject Tehran’s demands.
On Wednesday, Trump warned that he may abandon a peace deal with Iran unless other Middle Eastern nations didn’t capitulate and sign the Abraham Accords.
Read the full report at thehill.com
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