US Presses Neutral Oman to Cut Ties With Iran

Oman's long-running effort to sit out the US-Iran showdown is suddenly looking like a risky perch. Three months into the war, the Wall Street Journal reports that Washington is pressing the Gulf sultanate to break off relations with Tehran, with US officials viewing Muscat's refusal to denounce Iran—and its rejection of a UN statement criticizing Iranian tolls in the Strait of Hormuz—as evidence it's leaning toward the Islamic Republic. As Politico reports, President Trump has even floated airstrikes if Oman joins any tolling scheme, saying on Wednesday, "Oman will behave just like everybody else or we'll have to blow them up. They understand that." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has publicly warned of sanctions, though officials now say there's no concrete plan to hit the country.

Oman insists it's being consistent, not disloyal. Officials stress they've kept shipping lanes open, aided US vessels, and are working with the UN to ease maritime chokepoints, while maintaining that quiet neutrality is central to their role as mediator—one they previously played in Iran nuclear talks and earlier regional conflicts. But the US and key Gulf allies like Saudi Arabia and the UAE increasingly see that stance as cover for an Iran-friendly tilt, leaving Oman squeezed between a longtime American partnership and a powerful neighbor it's reluctant to provoke.