- Published
President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Oman - a US ally - if it "gets in the way" of his administration's own talks with Iran, Fox News reports.
asserted
News → publish → Iran
The US and Oman have been negotiating separately with Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that is vital to the global economy.
asserted
that → negotiate → economy
It has been largely closed for nearly six months during the US-Iran war.
asserted
It → close → war
A reporter for Fox said the US president made the threat to Oman while using an expletive during a phone interview.
asserted
president → say → interview
Earlier in the day, Iranian officials said they were close to finalising a deal with Oman.
asserted
they → say → Oman
Meanwhile, the future of talks between the US and Iran is unclear as a 60-day Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two sides is expiring.
uncertain
Memorandum → expire → sides
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump was asked by BBC News if he was seeking an extension to the MoU, to which he replied: "No."
asserted
he → speak → which
Since the US and Israel attacked Iran in February, Tehran has largely blocked the Strait of Hormuz - through which about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes.
asserted
fifth → attack → oil
Reopening it has been a key point of discussion.
asserted
Reopening → reopen → discussion
Oman borders the southern side of the Strait and says it is a neutral country in this conflict.
asserted
it → border → conflict
However it has suffered a number of strikes from Iran and is now playing a key role in negotiating with Tehran to reopen the waterway.
asserted
it → suffer → waterway
Washington has pursued its own efforts to secure the reopening.
asserted
Washington → pursue → reopening
Fox reporter Trey Yingst quoted Trump as saying: "If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the shit out of them."
asserted
we → quote → them
It is not clear what Trump thinks would constitute getting in the way of his ambitions for a deal.
asserted
Trump → think → deal
During the same interview with Fox, Trump also said the US had a direct backchannel with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is a major military, economic and political force in Iran.
asserted
which → say → Iran
An IRGC spokesman denied Trump's claim.
uncertain
spokesman → deny → claim
A spokesman told semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim News: "There are no talks taking place between IRGC officials and the Americans, and this lie by Trump is merely fantasies caused by the delusions and nightmares he has suffered as a result of defeat and desperation in the war."
asserted
he → tell → war
Trump made his threat to Oman a few hours after Iran had said the two countries had reached an agreement for ships to travel through the Strait.
asserted
ships → make → Strait
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters "an understanding has been reached regarding the map of the transit route".
asserted
understanding → tell → route
He added that both sides would finalise the details before issuing a joint statement.
asserted
sides → add → statement
Oman has previously described these talks as positive.
asserted
Oman → describe → talks
Earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a full reopening was dependent on Iran receiving compensation from the US for what Tehran described as violations of the MoU.
Reuters - citing an Iranian official - previously reported that Tehran was seeking fees of between 5% and 7% of the price of cargoes from vessels who travel through the Strait.
asserted
who → say → Strait
While Trump said in his call with Fox that he had a direct backchannel with the IRGC, he said he was in no hurry to bring the war to a close.
asserted
he → say → close
"They're good poker players, but they're dying," he was quoted as saying.
asserted
he → die → ?
"I have no time schedule.
asserted
I → have → schedule
The Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran, signed on 18 June, was designed to bring about a ceasefire and at least partly reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
asserted
Memorandum → sign → Hormuz
But it fell apart a short time later when both sides resumed strikes.
asserted
sides → fall → strikes
On 8 July, Trump said the ceasefire was "over" and blasted Iran's leadership as "scum" and "cuckoo" after fresh exchanges of fire.
asserted
ceasefire → say → fire
As the MoU neared its formal expiry on Monday, Trump posted on his Truth Social network: "The number one goal is, and always will be, that Iran cannot have, in any way, shape, or form, a nuclear weapon."
asserted
Iran → near → weapon
The Aporia
.jpeg?width=1200&auto=webp&trim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0)
