By Stephen Simon
United States President Donald Trump has threatened to “blow up” Oman if the Gulf nation fails to “behave” amid growing tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategic oil transit routes.
Trump made the remark during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday as the United States intensified efforts to reopen the Strait, which has remained largely shut by Iran following the outbreak of the US-Israel conflict.
The controversial statement followed reports that Iran and Oman were discussing a possible arrangement to jointly impose tolls on ships passing through the crucial waterway.
“The Strait is going to be open to everybody,” Trump declared. “Nobody’s going to control it. We’re going to watch over it. But nobody’s going to control it. That’s part of the negotiation that we have.”
The Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass daily, has been effectively blockaded by Iran since late February, triggering a major global energy shock.
The crisis has also worsened economic pressures in countries such as Nigeria, where petrol prices have surged sharply in recent weeks, with fuel selling for as much as N1,500 per litre in some filling stations.
Reports by the Associated Press indicated that Tehran was seeking Oman’s support for a mechanism that would allow the collection of tolls from vessels using the international route located close to Iranian territorial waters.
Reacting to the proposal, Trump insisted that the Strait remained an international waterway and warned against any attempt to control it.
“They would like to control it,” Trump said before issuing an extraordinary warning. “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 about 5.3 million people, has long maintained close military and economic relations with Washington while also serving as a key mediator in regional diplomatic disputes, including negotiations involving Iran.
Iran, however, condemned Trump’s remarks, describing them as dangerous and provocative.
In a statement issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, spokesperson Esmail Baghaei accused Washington of promoting “lawlessness and bullying” in international relations.
“Threats to destroy a United Nations member state that has always played a constructive, effective, and responsible role in regional peace and security are not only a violation of the principle prohibiting the threat or use of force, but also another dangerous sign of the normalisation of bullying in international relations,” Baghaei said.
The latest exchanges have further heightened fears of a wider regional confrontation capable of disrupting global oil markets and deepening economic uncertainty across several countries dependent on energy imports.
