US threatens sanctions on Oman for siding with Iran on Hormuz toll system
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the US Treasury would aggressively pursue sanctions against any individual, entity or country involved in facilitating such a system.
The fragile calm in the Gulf showed new cracks after the United States threatened sanctions and issued sharp warnings over Iran and Oman's role in the Strait of Hormuz. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent threatened sanctions against any country, company or individual helping Iran impose tolls on the strategic waterway.
"The United States Government will not tolerate any effort to impose a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz," Bessent wrote on X.
He directly singled out Oman, one of Washington's closest Gulf partners, and warned that the US would "aggressively target" anyone involved "directly or indirectly" in helping facilitate toll payments through the strait.
"All nations should reject outright any efforts by Iran to disrupt the free flow of commerce," Bessent added. "Tehran's days of terrorising the region and the world are over."
TRUMP THREATENS TO BLOW UP OMAN
The latest warning followed controversial remarks by President Donald Trump during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Trump rejected reports aired by Iranian state television claiming Tehran and Oman were discussing a framework under which both countries would jointly oversee shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
"Nobody's going to control it," Trump said.
"It's international waters and Oman will behave just like everybody else or we'll have to blow them up."
The statement stunned many because Oman has traditionally maintained close ties with the US. Oman also felicitated direct talks between Washington and Tehran before the US-Israel launched attack on Iran.
The White House later dismissed the Iranian television report as a "complete fabrication". Trump also repeated that the strait would remain open under international navigation rules.
"We'll watch over it, but nobody's going to control it," Trump said.
CEASEFIRE REMAINS FRAGILE
The diplomatic dispute unfolded as military tensions continued to simmer in the Gulf.
On Thursday, Iran launched an attack targeting a US military base in Kuwait after American forces carried out strikes near Bandar Abbas in southern Iran. Washington said the earlier operation targeted an Iranian drone launch site.
US Central Command said American forces intercepted five Iranian attack drones and struck a command station that was preparing another launch. Kuwait later confirmed that its air defences intercepted a ballistic missile fired toward the country.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard later claimed responsibility for targeting the US base linked to the earlier strikes. Iranian media warned that any repeat American attack would receive a "more decisive response".