United States President Donald Trump has threatened to "bomb Oman to the core" if the Persian Gulf country "impedes" Washington's efforts to reach a peace agreement with Iran.
In an interview with "Fox News", the American president confirmed that there is a "secret channel" for communication between the US and Iran's Revolutionary Guard, although Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei denied reports that Washington and the Guard had held direct talks.
Trump also said he was "in no hurry" when it came to Iran, amid reports that the two sides had extended the initial 60-day ceasefire agreed to in the memorandum of understanding, which expired today.
Trump made his threat to Oman in response to a journalist's question about parallel negotiations being held between Iran and Oman over control of the Strait of Hormuz. The question was asked amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran, who are trying to establish control over the strategically important strait.
The US president replied: "If Oman interferes, we will bomb them to death".
In recent weeks, Iranian diplomats have been negotiating with Oman for a temporary agreement to manage shipping through the strait.
On his social network Truth Social, Trump wrote: "The number one goal is and always will be that Iran cannot, in any form or by any means, possess a nuclear weapon".