President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Oman, a US ally, if the Gulf nation "gets in the way" of his administration's negotiations with Iran. The remarks, reported by Fox News, come as both the US and Oman have been separately engaging with Tehran to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely closed for nearly six months amid the ongoing US-Iran war.

The US and Oman have both been pursuing their own diplomatic channels with Iran concerning the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global trade and energy transport. The waterway typically facilitates the passage of about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas. Oman, which borders the southern side of the strait, has positioned itself as a neutral party in the conflict, though it has experienced strikes from Iran and is now playing a central role in mediation efforts.

According to a reporter for Fox News, President Trump made the explicit threat against Oman during a phone interview, using expletive language. The US president's comments were made hours after Iranian officials announced they were close to finalizing a deal with Oman to allow ships to transit the Strait. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman stated that an understanding had been reached regarding the transit route map, with details to be finalized before a joint statement.

The future of direct negotiations between the US and Iran remains uncertain as a 60-day Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two nations is set to expire. When asked by BBC News about a potential extension, Trump responded negatively. The US and Israel attacked Iran in February, leading to Tehran's substantial disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Details regarding what specific actions by Oman would constitute "getting in the way" of Trump's objectives remain unclear. During the same interview, Trump also claimed the US had a direct backchannel with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). However, an IRGC spokesman denied this assertion, describing Trump's claim as "fantasies caused by the delusions and nightmares he has suffered as a result of defeat and desperation in the war."

Oman has previously characterized its talks with Iran as positive. Earlier in August, Iran's Foreign Minister had indicated that a full reopening of the strait was contingent on Iran receiving compensation from the US for alleged violations of the MoU. An Iranian official, cited by Reuters, previously reported that Tehran was seeking fees ranging from 5% to 7% of the cargo price for vessels transiting the Strait.

Despite the ongoing diplomatic efforts and the threat of military action, President Trump expressed no urgency to conclude the war with Iran, reportedly stating that while Iranian negotiators are "good poker players," they are "dying."

The situation highlights the complex and often volatile nature of international diplomacy in a region critical to global economic stability, with conflicting interests and threats shaping the path toward de-escalation or further conflict.