From ‘Indispensable’ Ally to Target of Annihilation
The Sultanate of Oman, once a key diplomatic intermediary for the U.S. in the Middle East, is now facing threats from the Trump administration. The article explores the shift in U.S. foreign policy toward a long-time ally.
Why it matters
It illustrates the volatility of U.S. foreign relations and the potential loss of critical diplomatic back channels.
The latest target of Trump’s ire is the low-profile Sultanate of Oman.
Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Getty. August 21, 2026, 7 AM ET Share Save W hen the United States was looking for a way to talk to Iran about a nuclear deal more than a decade ago, it turned to Oman, asking the country to do something it had quietly done for years: make an impossible conversation possible. Because Washington and Tehran had no diplomatic relations, the U.S. felt that the most promising back channel to get a conversation started led through Muscat.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in