FM Cho to visit U.S. for talks with Rubio on Fri.: foreign ministry

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed recent Iranian attacks and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi. According to the State Department, Rubio acknowledged Oman's role in regional de-escalation and condemned Iranian attacks on commercial ships and countries in the region. He also reiterated the US commitment to ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon and to freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

The conversation marks a shift in US public diplomacy towards Oman, which had been threatened by US President Donald Trump less than a month earlier. Trump had threatened to bomb Oman amid the war with Iran, angered by Muscat's negotiations with Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio expressed support for deepening ties between Oman and the US.

In a separate incident, US Central Command forces intervened to prevent Iranian boats from seizing an American surface drone in the Strait of Hormuz, responding with military force. According to the US account, American forces targeted the two Iranian boats with missiles, thwarting the seizure attempt and keeping the drone under CENTCOM's operational control.

Brief written by urgent.news from Middle East Eye, Ajel English, The National UAE, The National Business — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.