US Treasury threatens Oman with sanctions on Hormuz Strait | Donald Trump News

A US official said Oman should know that Washington will “come down hard” against players who help pay on the road.

The United States has warned it will “punish” Oman if it helps Iran establish a payment channel in the Strait of Hormuz, adding to President Donald Trump’s threats against the Gulf ally.

Secretary of the US Treasury Scott Bessant He said on Thursday that Washington will “not tolerate” any country that imposes fines on commercial vessels in the waterway.

“Oman, in particular, should know that the US Treasury will take action against all those involved – directly or indirectly – in supporting the payment of the Strait and their accomplices will be punished,” Bessent said in a post.

“All countries must resist any attempt by Iran to disrupt free movement.” The days of Tehran terrorizing the region and the world are over.

The statement comes less than 24 hours after President Trump threatened to bomb Oman, a key US ally known for its neutrality. mediation services on regional problems, including the war between the US and Iran.

Although Iran has said that governments in Tehran and Muscat can jointly manage the Strait of Hormuz, Oman has not said it wants to control the waterway, parts of which run through its territory.

It is unclear what is driving Washington in the near future in Oman. It is unusual for the US to threaten sanctions and military action against a security and economic partner.

Mr Besent told reporters on Thursday that Mr Trump “wants to guarantee freedom of movement”.

Since the US and Israel began bombing Iran without direct provocation on February 28, Iran has closed the door and claimed sovereignty.

About 20 percent of the world’s oil went through Hormuz before the war, so Iran’s blockade has caused a major disruption in energy supplies, driving up prices.

The US and Iran have been in open talks to reach an agreement to end the war, and control of the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a major sticking point.

Trump has confirmed that the strait should be a free passage.

Asked if he would accept Iran-Omani joint control over the crisis in the short term, the president of the US He told reporters on Wednesday: “Nobody can control it. It’s international water, and Oman has to act like everyone else, otherwise we’ll blow it up.”

Ali Bagheri Kani, the deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said on Thursday that Tehran will not allow Hormuz to become a source of national security.

“The powers that have used this passage against Iran’s security must be held accountable,” he said on Iranian state television.

Bagheri Kani added that Iran wants to “establish a proper system that opposes authoritarianism and authority and promotes trust and cooperation” in the region.