Trump Controls Strait of Hormuz Blockade Despite Iran-Oman Deal
A senior US official dismissed claims that Iran and Oman have reached a deal to jointly control the Strait of Hormuz, saying the agreement is unfinalized and meaningless under Trump's blockade.
The rebuke follows an announcement by an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesman who claimed this week that Tehran and Muscat had agreed to terms governing the strategic shipping bottleneck, according to Steven Nelson writing in New York Post.
Speaking to the outlet on condition of anonymity, the US official said that ill-defined terms of the proposed arrangement are believed to still require full approval from Iran’s leadership, and that Washington will not recognise any deal without its consent.
The deals don’t mean anything unless we approve it, the official stated, adding that there is no deal without Trump lifting the blockade.
The official went on to say the agreement is not even close to being finalised and remains subject to internal approval within Iran, a process that has previously resulted in proposals dying before implementation.
Trump Threatens Military Action
President Trump earlier this month issued a stark warning to Oman, threatening to bomb the s–t out of the Gulf nation if it proceeds with any pact allowing Tehran to impose tolls on the strait.
It remains unclear how exactly the Iran-Oman arrangement would generate revenue, though earlier versions described tolls as service fees intended to cover environmental and security costs associated with shipping through the waterway.
Operation Economic Outcast Targets Tehran
The revelation comes as Washington intensifies economic pressure on Iran following more than a month of Trump’s renewed blockade of its ports.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Monday the launch of “Operation Economic Outcast,” a concerted effort to pressure countries worldwide to sever business ties with Tehran. The campaign coincides with massive fuel queues forming at Iranian petrol stations, with lines reportedly stretching two to three miles in some areas.
Bessent previewed the operation last week by declaring that Washington intends to collapse the regime through economic pain, citing spiking inflation, rising unemployment, and a plummeting currency as evidence the sanctions are taking effect.
The US official told the outlet that it is clear the new sanctions are biting, pointing to the extraordinary fuel shortages as proof of their impact.
Peace Talks Stalled Despite Iranian Outreach
Although formal peace negotiations have stalled, the official revealed there are so many reach-outs from Iran it is hard to count them, suggesting Tehran is feeling the pressure.
Trump’s core demand has been that Iran agree to destroy its highly enriched uranium stockpile to prevent the development of nuclear weapons. The president has also refused to consider any postwar arrangement that would grant Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz.
The fact that Washington believes the Oman-Iran deal still lacks formal approval in Tehran suggests the IRGC may have announced the agreement prematurely.
IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi had told the state-run Sepah News agency that agreements had been reached regarding each country’s share of the strait’s waters as well as Iran and Oman’s share of its revenues, generating international headlines.
Trump told reporters on Thursday that the strait is open to all ships except those coming to or from Iran, and that he is not eager to restart formal peace talks. Millions of barrels of oil are moving through the waterway daily, he noted, adding that other countries recognise this reality.
With information from New York Post
