Trump warns he would bomb Oman if it blocks Iran deal
President Trump warned on August 17, 2026 that the United States would bomb Oman if it obstructs a proposed Iran–Oman deal to manage transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
August 17, 2026 — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Washington would resort to force against Oman if Muscat obstructs a proposed agreement with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, Trump was quoted as saying that Oman would be targeted if it “stands in the way” of the Iran-Oman talks. According to Yingst’s post on X about the interview, Trump also urged Iran to "raise the white flag of surrender."
Details from Tehran and Muscat
Tehran confirmed on the same day that it is working to finalise a joint statement with Oman outlining a plan to manage ship transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Esmail Baghaei, the spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, told reporters in Tehran that "an understanding has been reached regarding the map of the transit route." He gave no further details but said the talks were moving slowly.
Earlier descriptions of the emerging plan indicate it would reopen the strait with a corridor in which vessels would enter along a route close to Iran and exit via a route close to Oman. During an initial transition period, ships would transit without paying fees or tolls, according to those prior descriptions.
The statements come as a 60-day negotiating window for a possible U.S.–Iran peace agreement expires. There has been no public confirmation of an extension, and observers noted that negotiators in Washington and Tehran remain as far apart as they were two months ago.
Trump’s threat, aired on August 17, 2026, raises the prospect of direct confrontation between Washington and a Gulf state mediating with Iran, and it adds pressure to an already fraught diplomatic process over maritime security in one of the world’s most important oil transit routes.
Photo: press material from the event
