Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ ally Oman for siding with Iran, says ‘will have to act like everybody else’ | Today’s news
United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday (May 27) threatened to attack US ally Oman if it sides with Iran over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as peace talks continue.
Asked if he would accept a deal that would allow Iran and the Gulf state to control the key waterway, Donald Trump said Oman had to “behave like everybody else” or they would “blow them up”.
The president of the United States said: “No, the strait will be open to all. These are international waters and Oman will behave like the others, or we will have to blow them up.”
“They get it, they’ll be fine,” he said.
But he did not explain what steps the US would take to allow the vessels free passage.
Oman is a key US ally that has tried to mediate the Middle East war and has itself come under attack from Tehran. But it’s likely that Donald Trump meant every word he said, as the US State Department later released a clip and transcript of Trump’s comments about Oman without any correction or clarification.
As the US and Iranian delegations continue to negotiate the points of a peace deal, Donald Trump said he is not yet satisfied with Iran’s offers to strike a deal. This comes after Iranian state television reported details of what it claimed was a draft deal.
Trump added at a White House cabinet meeting that he was in no rush to reach an agreement to end the war in the Middle East, despite saying over the weekend that it was close.
“Iran is very intentional, they very much want to make a deal. They haven’t gotten there yet. We’re not happy with it, but we will,” Trump said.
“Either that or we’ll have to finish the job,” he said, referring to threats to resume military operations that the United States and Israel began on February 28 and suspended in April.
Earlier on Wednesday, Iranian state television said the draft draft of the memorandum of understanding with Washington included commitments to lift the naval blockade of Iran, restore traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and withdraw US forces from the Persian Gulf.
The White House called the report a “complete fabrication”.
