US threatens Oman with sanctions over Iran's Hormuz tolling system; experts debate

By Al Jazeera English

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Tensions escalate as the US threatens Oman with sanctions over Iran's proposed tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz, with President Trump warning he would "blow 'em up" if Oman helped Iran control the strategic waterway. In a discussion panel on Al Jazeera, former senior US diplomat Ambassador Joey Hood and University of Tehran associate professor Hassan Ahmadian debated the threats and the root causes of US-Iran tensions. Hood dismissed Trump's comments as "hyperbole," saying the administration would impose economic sanctions not just on Oman but on any country participating in what he called a "mafia protection scheme." He noted that a UN Security Council draft resolution has 135 co-sponsors, the highest number in history, showing global consensus against Iran managing the strait. Ahmadian countered that Iran is acting under international law during a state of war, saying: "International law allows Iran to manage shipment. It's not mafia. American mentality might be tacked to mafia

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