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Trump threatens Oman
US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman if the Gulf country obstructs efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying in an interview with Fox News, "If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the shit out of them."
“If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the shit out of them”
The warning was tied to negotiations involving Oman and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, with the Financial Express reporting that Iran had been in talks with Oman about the possible resumption of shipping through the waterway.
Trump also said he had opened a direct backchannel with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and described the IRGC as "They're good poker players, but they're dying."
In the same set of remarks, Trump said he did not intend to rush into setting deadlines, telling Fox News, "I have no time schedule. I'm not in a hurry."
Backchannel and demands
Fox News reporter Trey Yingst said Trump issued the threat in response to questions about "parallel talks that are taking place between Iran and Oman about control of the Strait of Hormuz."
Yingst reported that Trump told Fox News that Iran should "put up the white flag of surrender," while also confirming a direct backchannel with IRGC officials.
The News International also reported that Trump said there is a direct backchannel with IRGC officials and quoted him again on the IRGC, "They're good poker players, but they're dying."
In a separate account, Deccan Chronicle said Trump called on Tehran to surrender and quoted Trump telling Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, "If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the shit out of them," linking the remarks to talks between Oman and Iran over control of the strategic waterway.
What’s at stake
The La Tribuna de Ciudad Real report said Trump reiterated that Iran must "raise the white flag" and "surrender" while threatening to bombard Oman if it interferes with Muscat’s negotiations with Tehran on transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
“have nothing to do”
That same report said Trump downplayed any deadline, stressing that negotiations were at a standstill and that the midterm elections in November "have nothing to do" with the United States’ approach to the war in Iran.
Bloomberg Línea reported that Trump threatened to bombard Oman if it stands in the way of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz, citing Fox News and quoting Trump as saying, "we will bomb them without mercy."
Bloomberg Línea also said the war with Iran has dragged on for nearly six months with no end in sight and that sporadic clashes have continued to escalate, interrupting the flow of oil and other key commodities through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
