WSJ: Oman comes under US pressure over Iran ties

Oman is facing growing pressure from the United States over its ties with Iran, as Washington increasingly questions Muscat’s neutral stance during the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing U.S. and Arab officials.

The sultanate helped establish a back channel with Tehran at the start of the war, a move Arab officials said contributed to the reopening of Gulf flight corridors.

However, U.S. officials have since urged Oman to choose between its relationship with Washington and its longstanding ties with Iran.

Tensions intensified after a recent U.S. intelligence assessment reportedly concluded that Oman was planning to join Iran in imposing tolls on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Muscat has repeatedly denied the claim.

President Donald Trump last week suggested he could order airstrikes on Oman if it supported Iran’s proposed shipping tolls, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned of possible sanctions.

The Omani Information Ministry declined to comment directly on U.S. pressure. Information Minister Abdulla Al-Harrasi said, “Oman stands ready to work with the United States and all responsible partners to promote stability, deter disruption, and safeguard our shared strategic interests.”

Throughout the conflict, Oman has sought to maintain relations with both Washington and Tehran, arguing that neutrality is essential for lasting regional stability.

“Oman’s approach to Tehran so far has opened the door to criticism and unwelcome scrutiny of a country that has long prided itself on its impartial foreign policy,” said Sanam Vakil of Chatham House. The Trump administration’s threat “has highlighted perceptions in some American circles that Oman is sympathetic to Iran.”

Muscat has avoided directly condemning Iran over attacks on regional shipping and missile strikes, a position officials say is consistent with Omani diplomatic tradition. Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi also suggested Gulf states should reconsider their security ties with the U.S. after the war began.

Arab officials said Omani authorities were surprised by Washington’s criticism and are considering a public campaign highlighting efforts to keep maritime traffic moving through the Strait of Hormuz. Oman has also provided navigational, rescue and medical assistance to ships operating in the region.

Al-Harrasi reiterated support for freedom of navigation, saying, “Any threat to freedom of navigation in these waters would harm the interests of the entire international community, including the United States.”

The dispute has exposed growing tensions around Oman’s traditional role as a mediator between Iran and the West. U.S. officials said distrust deepened shortly before the war when Albusaidi suggested a nuclear agreement with Tehran was close, stating it was “within our reach, if we just allow diplomacy the space it needs to get there.”

Washington has since sought to reduce Oman’s role in diplomatic efforts involving Iran, officials said, although they stressed there are no genuine plans to attack the country despite Trump’s remarks.

Oman’s approach has also frustrated Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which view Muscat as too accommodating toward Tehran. Omani officials insist that maintaining dialogue remains the best way to prevent further escalation.

“In a volatile region, responsible leadership means keeping channels of communication open and preventing tensions from escalating into conflict,” said Harrasi.

By Aghakazim Guliyev