A senior U.S. official said Oman should know that the U.S. will “aggressively target” actors who facilitate waterway toll collection.
Published May 28, 2026
The United States has threatened to “aggressively” impose sanctions on Oman if it helps Iran establish a toll collection system in the Strait of Hormuz, adding to President Donald Trump’s threats against the Gulf ally.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that the United States “will not tolerate” either country imposing fees on commercial vessels in strategic waterways.
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“Oman in particular should know that the U.S. Treasury Department will actively target any party directly or indirectly involved in facilitating the Strait Toll, and willing partners will be penalized,” Bessent said in a social media post.
“All countries should categorically reject all efforts by Iran to disrupt the free flow of commerce. The days of Iran terrorizing the region and the world are over.”
The statement came less than 24 hours after President Trump threatened to bomb Oman, a key US ally known for its neutrality and mediation efforts in regional crises, including the war between the US and Iran.
Iran has suggested the governments in Tehran and Muscat could jointly manage the Strait of Hormuz, but Oman has not said it seeks control of the waterway, which partly flows through its territory.
It is not clear what is driving Washington’s recent stance toward Oman. It is highly unusual for the United States to threaten sanctions or military action against a close security and economic partner.
Since the United States and Israel began bombing Iran without direct provocation on February 28, Iran has blocked the strait and asserted its sovereignty over it.
Before the conflict, about 20% of the world’s oil passed through Hormuz, and Iran’s blockade has put a huge strain on energy supplies, sending prices soaring.
The United States and Iran continue to indirectly negotiate a comprehensive end to the war, with maritime control of the Strait of Hormuz emerging as a key point of contention.
President Trump emphasized that the Strait must be a free passage.
Asked on Wednesday if he would accept joint Iranian-Omani control of the strait in the short term, the president told reporters: “Nobody is going to control it. This is international sea and Oman will behave like any other country. Otherwise we will have to blow up the strait.”
Ali Bagheri Qani, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council for National Security, said on Thursday that the Iranian government will not allow Hormuz to become a source of instability in the country.
“Forces that use this article against Iran’s security must be held accountable,” he was quoted as saying on Iranian public television.
Bagheri Qaani added that Iran aims to “establish a just order that rejects hegemony and domination and strengthens trust and cooperation” in the region.
