President Donald Trump has declared that the U.S. would “bomb” Oman if it interfered in negotiations with Iran, as a fragile ceasefire between the two nations is set to expire without a deal. This comes as shipping traffic through the critical Strait of Hormuz has slowed to a near halt.
Trump stated he is not looking to extend the current ceasefire and reiterated that Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Iran claims to be in talks with Oman about reopening the strait, while denying direct negotiations with the U.S.
Trump Warns Oman of "Bombing" Amid Stalled Iran Ceasefire Talks, Strait of Hormuz Traffic Halts
Key Points:
- President Donald Trump stated the U.S. would "bomb" Oman if it interfered in negotiations with Iran.
- A temporary ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is set to expire with no deal in sight.
- Trump indicated he is not seeking an extension of the current U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement.
- Data shows a significant slowdown in ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
President Donald Trump declared on Monday that the United States would "bomb the s--- out of" Oman if the Gulf nation "gets in the way," as the 60-day ceasefire between Washington and Tehran approaches its expiration without any official negotiations or a new deal on the horizon. Trump also asserted that informal discussions are occurring with Iran's Revolutionary Guard, but emphasized he is "not in a hurry" to finalize an agreement.
"They're good poker players, but they're dying," Trump remarked during a Fox News interview. Hours later, he reiterated his stance to reporters in the Oval Office, stating he was not looking to extend the U.S. ceasefire deal with Iran, which was established in mid-June and is slated to end on Monday.
When questioned again about Oman, Trump commented that the long-standing U.S. strategic ally had not "behaved very well." He added, "But we'd handle them very easily, just like we do other things."
The 60-day memorandum of understanding with Iran was initially presented as a significant stride towards reopening the Strait of Hormuz and paving the way for a long-term agreement on Tehran's nuclear program. However, the accord was largely ignored within weeks, with both sides frequently accusing each other of violations. Military actions in the region recommenced shortly after; in mid-July, Trump declared the ceasefire officially over.
Since then, Trump has consistently maintained that Iran is eager to secure a peace agreement with the U.S. "They want to make a deal, but they're not going to make the kind of a deal that I feel is necessary," Trump stated in the Oval Office on Monday when asked about progress between the two nations.
Conversely, Tehran has denied any ongoing negotiations with the U.S. Instead, Iran has indicated it is actively engaged in talks with Oman regarding a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway, through which approximately 20% of the world's oil trade passed before the recent conflict, has seen its commercial transit significantly reduced.
In a post on Truth Social Monday morning, Trump reiterated the U.S. position that Iran must commit to abandoning its pursuit of nuclear weapons. "The number one Goal is, and always will be, that Iran cannot have, in any way, shape, or form, a Nuclear Weapon," Trump wrote.
Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and senior aide, told Fox News on Monday that Iran is currently "not showing any interest" in a deal that the U.S. would find acceptable.
Hormuz Traffic Grinds to a Halt
The president's latest statements followed a significant slowdown in shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend. According to data from Kpler, only three vessels transited the critical oil passage on Sunday. The five-day average for transits stands at 12, a stark contrast to the roughly 130 vessels that crossed Hormuz daily before the conflict began on February 28.
Parash Jain, a shipping expert at HSBC, advised CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Monday morning that investors should anticipate "chaos is the norm" for the shipping industry and incorporate this into their fundamental assumptions.
Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, was quoted by the Iranian news outlet Shahrara News on Saturday stating that the two sides "do not have anything like a ceasefire." He added, "No negotiations have been held between the United States and us at this time. ... Qatar and Pakistan are exchanging messages between the parties and are in contact with us, but this does not mean negotiations."
However, Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, asserted in a post on X on Friday that the strait will remain "Iranian" and its closure and opening will occur "under Iran's command."
