U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to attack Oman if the Gulf country gets in the way of American efforts to deal with Iran. His warning came on Monday, August 17, as a 60-day ceasefire between the United States and Iran was set to expire.
The situation has created new fears of more fighting in the Middle East. There is also growing concern about the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important shipping routes in the world.
Trump made the threat while speaking about efforts to reach an understanding with Iran. He told Fox News that the United States was not in a hurry to make a deal with Tehran.
Trump said that informal talks were happening with Iran's Revolutionary Guard. However, Iran has continued to deny that it is holding direct negotiations with the United States.
While talking about Oman, Trump used strong language. He said that if Oman gets in the way, the United States would bomb the country.
Oman has been trying to help reduce tensions between Iran and the United States. The country has also been involved in discussions about reopening the Strait of Hormuz for normal commercial shipping.
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. It is extremely important for global energy supplies because large amounts of oil and other goods pass through the area.
Trump also repeated that Iran must not be allowed to have nuclear weapons. He said this remains the main goal of the United States.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that Iran must not have a nuclear weapon under any circumstances.
Shipping Through Strait of Hormuz Slows
The latest tension has already affected ships using the Strait of Hormuz.
According to data from shipping information company Kpler, only three ships passed through the waterway on Sunday. The five-day average was about 12 ships per day.
The difference is even larger when compared with the period before the war began on February 28. At that time, around 130 ships were passing through the Strait of Hormuz each day.
The sharp drop in shipping traffic shows how worried companies are about the security situation.
The Strait is one of the world's most important routes for oil shipments. Any long closure could affect energy prices and create problems for countries that depend on oil from the Middle East.
Parash Jain, a shipping expert at HSBC, told CNBC that companies and investors should understand that uncertainty has become normal for the shipping industry. He said businesses need to consider this kind of disruption when making plans.
U.S. and Iran Talks Remain Unclear
The ceasefire between the United States and Iran was already fragile. As its end approached on Monday, there was still no official agreement between the two sides.
Iranian officials have also rejected the idea that direct negotiations are taking place.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran and the United States were not currently holding negotiations. He explained that Qatar and Pakistan were passing messages between the two sides.
According to Araghchi, the fact that these countries are communicating with Iran does not mean that formal talks are taking place between Tehran and Washington.
His comments show how far apart the two countries remain.
Iranian officials have also made it clear that they consider the Strait of Hormuz to be under Iranian control.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the waterway would remain Iranian. He said the decision to close or reopen the Strait would be made by Iran.
This position is likely to make the situation more difficult for the United States and other countries that want shipping through the Strait to return to normal.
Growing Risk in the Middle East
Trump's threat against Oman adds another serious concern to an already tense situation.
Oman has traditionally played a role in helping countries communicate during difficult situations in the Middle East. Any conflict involving Oman could make it harder for the United States and Iran to find a peaceful solution.
For now, it is unclear what will happen after the ceasefire expires. The United States says Iran must give up any effort to obtain nuclear weapons, while Iran continues to reject direct talks with Washington.
At the same time, the slowdown in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is raising concerns about the wider economic impact.
If the waterway remains difficult or dangerous for ships, oil supplies could be affected. That could lead to higher energy costs and create problems for businesses and consumers in many countries.
The coming days could therefore be important. The United States and Iran have not reached a new agreement, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply, and Trump's latest warning has added another layer of tension.
The biggest question now is whether the two sides can find a way to reduce tensions or whether the end of the ceasefire will lead to another period of fighting.