A senior U.S. official claimed that Washington was dissatisfied with Oman's performance in talks with Iran and has removed the country from the mediation process. The official said the United States believed Oman acted as a "double‑sided" mediator, leaning too far toward Iran, leading to the end of Muscat's traditional role.
The official added that a major U.S. challenge during the war was maintaining effective communication channels with Iran's leadership. Previously, messages were relayed through Iran's Supreme National Security Council with Oman's mediation, but this route was disrupted after hostilities began.
According to the official, the United States ultimately decided to use new channels, including Pakistan and Qatar, for diplomatic communications. In the early stages of the conflict, the death of senior Iranian officials and the relocation of some to shelters made diplomatic contact with Tehran more difficult.