When former U.S. President Donald Trump first announced the Iran nuclear deal, he named nearly half a dozen countries that had endorsed it—including all Gulf states except one: Oman. The Sultanate of Oman, which shares the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz with Iran, served for over a decade as the primary backchannel mediator between Washington and Tehran. It played a key role in brokering the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), from which Trump withdrew eight years ago.
A Shift in U.S. Tolerance
Now, Oman—often dubbed the “Switzerland of the Middle East” for its long-standing neutrality—is facing threats from Trump and has been sidelined as a mediator in this week’s newly signed agreement. Washington accuses Muscat of maintaining overly close ties with Tehran.
“Oman’s model has always been triangulation—keeping open communication channels simultaneously with Tehran, Washington, and the Gulf,” said H.A. Hellyer, senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute. “What’s changed is Washington’s tolerance for an interlocutor who refuses to sever ties with Iran and pursues diplomacy in a publicly assertive way that clashes with U.S. posture.”
Neutrality Under Pressure
This shift comes as other Gulf states—doubting the reliability of the U.S. security umbrella—have quietly engaged Iran. Meanwhile, Oman has emerged as a regional logistics hub, offering supply-chain alternatives that bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
Oman was the first Gulf state to host an Israeli leader—in 1994—but has also hosted talks between Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement and Saudi Arabia, which backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government. Muscat acted as a parallel diplomatic channel during the negotiations leading up to the 2015 nuclear deal and mediated several rounds during Trump’s second term.
Yet those talks were suspended twice—in February and last June—following Iranian-linked attacks that triggered the latest regional escalation.
The Cost of Neutrality
Oman’s neutral stance has come at a price. The U.S. has demanded unwavering alignment from its Gulf allies, many of whom have faced repeated Iranian-backed strikes. At the height of the conflict, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei on his appointment as Supreme Leader—a move widely seen as diplomatically fraught.
Oman also refrained from naming Iran when condemning recent attacks on its soil and across the region. Senior diplomat Badr Al-Busaidi urged Washington to halt its strikes against Iran, insisting, “This is not your war.”
In the coming weeks, Pakistan—with Egypt’s backing—will take on a more visible diplomatic role in regional de-escalation efforts.