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US President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting held in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 27 (local time). / Photo via Reuters-Yonhap News

US President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Oman, a US ally, against entering into any agreement that shares control of the Strait of Hormuz with Iran, adding that failure to comply could leave the country facing US air strikes.

However, immediately following those remarks, Trump softened his tone, stating he did not anticipate a situation where the United States would actually have to resort to such military action, The New York Times (NYT) reported on May 27 (local time).

When questioned on the matter during a cabinet meeting on the same day, the US president remarked, "Oman is going to do what everybody else does, or we'll have to blow them up." He then added, "They understand that, so it won't be a problem."

Iran has reportedly been in discussions with Oman over a proposal to levy transit fees on vessels navigating through the Strait of Hormuz.

Emphasizing that any agreement between the two nations to impose such fees would carry severe repercussions, Trump stressed, "The strait is going to be open to everybody, and nobody is going to control it." He declared that the United States would monitor the Strait of Hormuz but would not tolerate exclusive control over the waterway.

The conflict, which erupted on February 28 last year following US and Israeli air strikes on Iran, has dragged on for months as it spilled over into neighboring countries.

Since the outbreak of the war, Iran has blockaded the Strait of Hormuz—a vital chokepoint for global commerce—sending shockwaves through international energy markets.

While the possibility of a diplomatic breakthrough to reopen the strait had recently been explored, the NYT noted that a swift resolution appears unlikely for the foreseeable future as hostilities between the United States and Iran flared up again this week.

                                                                                                             Lee Jung-eun