Trump threatens Oman: threatens to bomb if Iran disrupts talks

President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb US ally Oman if it "obstructs" his administration's talks with Iran, Fox News reports.

The US President made the comments during a phone call on Monday, in which he also said that the US has direct covert contacts with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a reporter for the network reported.

The IRGC later refused to participate in talks with the US. But Iranian officials said on Monday they were close to finalizing a deal with Oman to allow ships to transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, the 60-day Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is ending on Monday. This memorandum was a commitment between both the US and Iran for further negotiations to reach a final agreement.

Oman, which describes itself as a neutral country in the conflict, has faced several attacks from Iran since the conflict began. However, it is now playing a role in talks with Iran to reopen the strait.

Since the attack by the US and Israel in February, Iran has almost completely blocked this vital waterway, through which about 20 percent of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas is transported. Its reopening has been a major topic of discussion.

America has also made efforts at its level to reopen it. Fox News journalist Trey Yingst quoted Trump as saying, "If Oman hinders this, we will bomb it and destroy it."

An IRGC spokesperson refuted Trump's claim, made in the same interview, that the US was involved in secret talks with the IRGC. The IRGC is a major military, political and economic force in Iran.

A spokesman told the semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim News, "There are no negotiations taking place between IRGC officials and the Americans, and Trump's lies are just imaginary ideas born out of the delusions and nightmares he suffered as a result of the war defeat and despair."

Trump has threatened Oman when Iran said on Monday that an agreement has been reached between the two parties (Iran and Oman) for the movement of ships through the strait.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Bagai told journalists in Tehran that "an agreement has been reached regarding the map of the transit route."

In a statement published by CBS News, the BBC's US affiliate, Bagai said the two sides would finalize details before issuing a joint statement. Oman had earlier described these talks as positive.

Earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a full reopening of ties would only take place if the US receives compensation for violations of the agreement.

Reuters news agency quoted an Iranian official as saying that Iran was charging between 5% and 7% of the value of goods from ships that pass through Hormuz.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said he has direct secret contacts with the IRGC, but he also said he is in no hurry to end the war.

He said, "He's a good poker player, but he's in very bad shape. I don't have a deadline. I'm in no hurry."

The President also stressed that the US midterm elections in November "have nothing to do with my thinking."

He also argued that he had no problem with the United States reducing its stockpile since the war began, saying that "the amount we have used is nominal."

Nothing has been said yet about the expenditure on ammunition and the remaining stock. But public data collected by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC has recently shown a clear picture of declining stocks, which are difficult to reverse in a short period of time.

The retired corps colonel and senior adviser at CSIS previously told the BBC that it typically takes "one to five years" to develop a missile.

"And there's nothing you can do to speed it up."

The memorandum of understanding signed on June 18 was intended to bring the two sides to a permanent ceasefire, but the temporary peace broke down shortly after after both sides began attacking each other.

On July 8, Trump announced the end of the ceasefire.

As the formal end of the ceasefire approached on Monday, Trump posted on his social media accounts: "Our number one goal is, and will always be, to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon in any form."