How US ally Oman got caught in Trump’s crosshairs

President Trump’s rising anger with Oman over a pending deal with Iran concerning the Strait of Hormuz is spilling over into the public spotlight.

The two Gulf countries say they are poised to make an agreement to set up new shipping lanes in the vital waterway, but Tehran has added steep conditions for Washington to meet before that takes place.

The negotiations aren’t sitting well with Trump, who on Monday threatened to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way” of U.S. efforts to pressure Iran into a broader nuclear deal. 

“I think what we’re seeing, and what we’ve continued to see in a variety of ways, is just the outward expression of deep frustration by the administration that they’re still stuck with this Strait of Hormuz problem and no apparent solution in sight,” said Mona Yacoubian, the director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“In a way, it’s almost more of a shoot-the-messenger type of a situation,” she told The Hill. “They’re not in a position to ensure U.S. demands with regard to the strait are met.”

The fight for control of the Strait of Hormuz has become the biggest issue of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which began on Feb. 28. 

Trump, unable to force concessions from Iran through military means, on Wednesday promised an “Economic D-Day” to pressure Tehran. He has insisted the U.S. has “total control over the strait,” despite Iran’s continued attacks on ships, with Trump even sharing an image this week........

© The Hill