Breaking update: President Donald Trump threatened Oman as the U.S.-Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz dragged past a 60-day negotiating deadline with no final deal in place.
The latest comments sharpened a crisis already centered on the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, where commercial traffic remains badly disrupted and diplomacy has stalled. CBS News reported that Trump said the United States could handle Oman “very easily” after a Fox News correspondent said the president had threatened to bomb the Gulf state if it “gets in the way” of U.S. efforts to reopen the strait and end the war with Iran.
TIME and The Guardian also reported the threat, tying it to talks between Oman and Iran over future navigation arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz. Oman has long acted as a backchannel between Washington and Tehran, making the warning especially sensitive: Muscat is not a party to the war, but it borders the same waterway now at the center of the conflict.
Why Oman Is Suddenly In The Middle
The dispute is not just about rhetoric. Iran and Oman have been discussing a framework for commercial shipping through the strait, according to reports from TIME and Channel NewsAsia. Washington opposes any arrangement that would give Tehran formal control over traffic or allow Iran to collect passage fees.
The Strait of Hormuz normally carries a major share of global oil and liquefied natural gas. Since the conflict began, however, Iran has effectively restricted movement through the corridor, using the waterway as leverage against U.S. sanctions, the American naval blockade, and demands over frozen Iranian assets.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that the United States controls the strait through its naval blockade. CBS News reported that he described making the waterway a U.S. territory as “a great idea,” while a later CBS live update said he posted a map on Truth Social labeling the Strait of Hormuz “NEW U.S. Territory.”
Iran rejected the claim. CBS News reported that Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi called Trump’s statement a “delusion” and warned that Tehran would correct it if necessary.
The Deadline Passed Without A Deal
The remarks landed as the June memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran reached the end of its 60-day window without producing a broader settlement. CBS News reported that Jared Kushner said Iran was “not showing any interest” in a deal that made sense for the United States, while still describing contacts as “very positive conversations.”
TIME reported that the June framework included the lifting of the U.S. naval blockade and toll-free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, but renewed attacks and disagreements over control of the waterway undermined the accord. Trump has said he is not in a hurry to reach a deal and has kept his central demand focused on Iran not obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Iran’s position has also hardened. The Hindu reported Tuesday that Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States implemented commitments that Tehran says were included in the interim deal, including lifting the marine blockade and sanctions and freeing frozen assets.
Shipping Risk Is Still Rising
The maritime threat has not eased. The Hindu, citing the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, reported that a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting outbound in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, causing engine room damage and a crew casualty. Oman’s coast guard was assisting the remaining crew, according to the report.
Channel NewsAsia reported that Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Trump to “fully utilise diplomacy” in a call about easing U.S.-Iran tensions. Qatar also said an Iran-Oman arrangement over the strait could make it easier to restart talks, according to The Hindu’s live coverage.
The new angle is the pressure now falling on Oman, a U.S. partner and traditional mediator, as Washington tries to prevent Iran from turning control of Hormuz into a durable bargaining chip. With the deadline gone, shipping disrupted, and both sides trading threats, the crisis has moved from a stalled bilateral negotiation into a broader fight over who gets to manage one of the world’s most important chokepoints.
Sources: CBS News, TIME, The Guardian, Channel NewsAsia, The Hindu.