US President Donald Trump threatened Oman over its negotiations with Iran on managing Strait of Hormuz shipping, regional officials said. The developments came amid renewed attacks, including a projectile striking a vessel and Iranian threats to keep the crucial waterway closed<\/p>\n
Cairo: US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman because he is unhappy the country is close to a deal with Iran to manage ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, two regional officials said Tuesday, a day after Trump leveled the threat.<\/p>\n
The officials said the Trump administration has told Oman it is opposed to parts of the yet-to-be-announced deal, including the joint Iranian and Omani management of the exit route out of the passage that\u2019s critical to global supplies of oil and natural gas. The officials were briefed on the US position and how the administration views Oman\u2019s position.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a projectile hit a ship as it sailed out of the strait, according to the British military\u2019s maritime monitoring agency, and an Iranian official said the waterway would not reopen until the United States meets Iran\u2019s conditions. The defense ministry of the United Arab Emirates said two ballistic missiles were launched from Iran toward the UAE.<\/p>\n
US believes Oman has not been tough enough with Iran<\/p>\n
The US believes Oman has not been tough enough in its negotiations with Iran and is unhappy with Oman\u2019s agreement to collect voluntary fees from vessels, even if the charges are related to security and maritime environmental protection, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to journalists.<\/p>\n
Trump on Monday threatened to bomb Oman as it works with Iran on a deal to open the strait and pave the way for the US and Iran to resume negotiations to end the war.<\/p>\n
He posted a map on social media Tuesday depicting the strait as a US territory. The president first mentioned the idea in an offhand comment last week. On Monday, he told reporters in the Oval Office, \u201cI like the idea of declaring it a territory,\u201d without providing details.<\/p>\n
The White House on Tuesday referred to Trump\u2019s remarks in the Oval Office and declined to comment further about Oman.<\/p>\n
Iran refers to Trump\u2019s delusion\u2019 about the strait<\/p>\n
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi appeared to respond to Trump\u2019s post on social media depicting the strait as American territory.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust as Trump correctly wrote the name of the eternal Persian Gulf, his delusion regarding the Strait of Hormuz will soon either be corrected, or we will correct this deluded man\u2019s delusions for him,\u201d Gharibabadi wrote on X.<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s comment on Monday was not the first time he has threatened Oman. In May, he told reporters during a Cabinet meeting that Oman \u201cwill behave just like everybody else, or we will have to blow them up.\u201d Iran reiterated Tuesday that Tehran plans to maintain its grip on shipping traffic until Washington meets its conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil the United States fulfills its commitments under the agreement, including lifting the blockade, releasing frozen assets, lifting oil sanctions, ending threats and military operations on all fronts, and implementing the other conditions to which it committed, the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen,\u201d said Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran\u2019s parliamentary speaker and negotiator in previous talks with the US<\/p>\n
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the Iranian-Omani deal could pave the way for Washington and Tehran to return to negotiations for a \u201ccomprehensive and permanent deal that addresses all concerns and enhances regional security and stability.\u201d The statement came after a meeting between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Omani counterpart Badr al-Busaidi. But it did not address Trump\u2019s latest threat against Oman.<\/p>\n