President Trump threatened a U.S. military attack against Oman Wednesday, warning against the possibility of the Middle Eastern country controlling the Strait of Hormuz jointly with Iran through tolls.
“It’s international waters, and Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow ’em up. They understand that, they’ll be fine,” Mr. Trump said at a Cabinet meeting.
The president said, “The strait’s gotta be open to everybody. Nobody’s going to control it. We’ll watch over it, but nobody’s going to control it.”
Iran imposed an effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as retaliation for the military operation launched by Mr. Trump on Feb. 28 in coordination with Israel. Oman is located on the opposite shore of the strait.
Some ships have gotten through the critical waterway, but the clampdown is causing energy shortfalls and higher oil prices around the world.
Countries around the world want the strait to remain open, given its status as an international waterway.
Mr. Trump commented on the situation while negotiators work on a deal to reopen the strait and extend a ceasefire so that U.S. and Iran officials can decide the fate of Tehran’s nuclear program.
The president on Wednesday said he would not allow Russia or China to remove Iran’s stockpiles of uranium. Moscow and Beijing are strategic partners to Tehran.
“That would not make me comfortable,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Trump also said he is not interested in easing sanctions or returning Iran’s assets at the moment.
“We have control of money that they claim is theirs,” Mr. Trump said. “We’ll keep control of that money. When they behave properly, and they do what’s right, we’ll let them have their money.”
