President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning that the United States (US) will launch a bombing attack on Oman if the Gulf state obstructs US military action or policy in the region. The warning came as a 60-day ceasefire between Washington and Tehran expired on Monday without any peace agreement or formal negotiations being concluded.
Oman had previously acted as a mediator in talks with Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, while the US continued its naval blockade of Iranian ports. In an interview, Trump stressed that he was in no hurry to sign a deal and reiterated that the US's ultimate goal is to ensure that Iran does not have nuclear weapons.
The tense situation saw shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz come to a near standstill over the weekend. According to data from the Kpler agency, only three ships passed through the world's main oil route on Sunday compared to an average of 130 ships a day before the war broke out on February 28.
HSBC shipping expert Parash Jain reminded investors that chaos has become the new normal in the global maritime industry. The prolonged closure of the strategic route continues to put energy markets and international supply chains at high risk.
For his part, Tehran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied there was a formal ceasefire or direct talks with Washington, explaining that the message was only conveyed through Qatar and Pakistan. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also stressed that the Strait of Hormuz remains under full Iranian sovereign control and any opening or closing of the route is subject to Tehran's orders.
