Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi has issued a rare and blunt rebuke of the United States following the February 28, 2026, military strikes against Iran. The statement marks a historic low in the relationship between Washington and its most trusted mediator in the Middle East.
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Albusaidi’s frustration stems from the timing of the strikes. Only hours before the military operation, Oman believed a significant breakthrough in nuclear negotiations was imminent.
- The Accusation: Albusaidi argued that “active and serious negotiations” were sabotaged by the decision to use force.
- The Warning: He warned the U.S. against being “sucked further” into a regional conflict, pointedly telling Washington, “This is not your war.”
- The Humanitarian Cost: The Minister lamented the inevitable suffering of civilians, stating that military escalation has once again overridden the “substantial progress” made in Geneva.
Context: The “Mediator’s Betrayal”
Oman has long served as the secret backchannel for U.S.-Iran relations. This public condemnation is significant because:
- Direct Engagement: Albusaidi had recently met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance to finalize terms of a “zero stockpiling” nuclear deal.
- Regional Fallout: The strikes triggered immediate Iranian retaliation against U.S. bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE, effectively drawing the entire region into the crossfire.
- End of Neutrality? While Oman typically remains neutral, this rhetoric suggests they view the current U.S. strategy as a threat to regional stability that mediation can no longer fix.
