Neutral Position Threatened: Oman Responds to Trump's Stern Warning Regarding Iran
Oman’s signature neutral diplomatic position is currently at a low point. After successfully acting as a secret intermediary between Tehran and Gulf nations at the onset of the US-Iran conflict, Muscat is now facing intense pressure from Washington to sever diplomatic relations with Iran.
The Donald Trump administration has reportedly issued serious threats, ranging from economic sanctions to the possibility of airstrikes. This aggressive stance is driven by US intelligence assessments suggesting that Oman plans to join Iran in imposing tolls on vessels traversing the strategic Strait of Hormates.
Historically, Oman has functioned as the ‘Switzerland of the Middle East’. At the beginning of the conflict, Muscat helped reopen flight corridors for Gulf nations via back-channel routes to Tehran. However, this non-partisan stance is now being interpreted as hostility by the United States.
Oman’s Minister of Information, Abdulla Al-Harrasi, emphasised that his country remains committed to the freedom of navigation. ‘Any threat to the freedom of navigation in these waters will harm the interests of the international community, including the United States,’ he stated in an official communiqué.
This tension also highlights the vulnerability of Oman’s position in the eyes of its Western allies. Unlike neighbours such as Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, Oman does not host large US military bases and possesses a smaller economic capacity, resulting in less influence within Washington’s power circles.
Oman’s reluctance to openly condemn Iran has also caused friction with fellow Arab nations. Muscat remains the only member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that refused to sign a UN statement, led by the UAE, condemning the Iranian blockade in Hormuz.
Omani officials argue that maintaining open communication channels is the only way to end the war permanently. However, for Washington, this closeness—including Sultan Haitham bin Tariq’s congratulations to Mojtaba Khamenei—is viewed as a dangerous signal of alignment.
Muscat is currently attempting to defuse US anger through public diplomacy, including collaborating with the UN to ensure the safe passage of fertiliser shipments to assist the food crisis in Africa. However, with Washington’s rhetoric intensifying, the space for Omani neutrality appears to be narrowing.