Foreign minister claims Israel convinced Donald Trump to make ‘grave miscalculation’ of waging war on Iran3 min readMar 20, 2026 09:56 AM IST First published on: Mar 20, 2026 at 09:56 AM IST ShareWhatsapptwitterFacebookOman’s foreign minister Badr al-Busaidi (@badralbusaidi /X)Oman’s foreign minister has said Israel persuaded the United States to go to war with Iran, calling the conflict a “grave miscalculation” and a “catastrophe”, according to The Guardian.Writing in The Economist, Badr Albusaidi said the US had “lost control of its own foreign policy” and was drawn into the conflict despite a possible nuclear deal with Iran.‘Deal was within reach’Albusaidi said Iran and the US were close to an agreement during nuclear talks held in Geneva in February.“It was a shock but not a surprise” when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran just hours after talks that had made peace “really possible”, he wrote, as reported by The Guardian.He said Iran had offered concessions, including limits on uranium enrichment, in exchange for sanctions relief. Further talks had been planned, but military action began soon after.Story continues below this adBlames Israel for US decisionAlbusaidi said Israel’s leadership convinced Donald Trump to join the war.“The American administration’s greatest miscalculation… was allowing itself to be drawn into this war,” he wrote.He added that the conflict was “not America’s war” and said there was no clear outcome where both the US and Israel would achieve their aims.War called ‘catastrophe’The Omani minister described the wider conflict as a “catastrophe”, especially for Gulf countries affected by Iran’s retaliation.Story continues below this adHe said there was little sign of a return to negotiations and urged both sides to resume talks.“For Israel to achieve its stated objective will require a long military campaign,” he wrote, warning it could lead to further US involvement.US and Israel accused of breaking international law. Albusaidi also said the military strikes by the US and Israel were “illegal” and risk damaging international law.He said countries involved in the attacks were “in breach of international law” as long as hostilities continued.Story continues below this adIsrael rejects claimBenjamin Netanyahu has denied that Israel pushed the US into the conflict.“Does anyone really think that someone can tell President Trump what to do?” he said in response to the claims.Oman has been among the Gulf countries calling for a diplomatic solution. Other states in the region have also warned that the war could destabilise energy supplies and security.The comments highlight growing differences in how countries view the conflict, as the war continues with no clear end.AdvertisementLoading Recommendations...Live BlogDhurandhar 2 Box Office Collection Day 1 LIVE Updates: Aditya Dhar-Ranveer Singh film’s worldwide gross is Rs 236 cr, demolishes Shah Rukh’s Jawan record13 seconds agoDubai, UAE News Live Updates: UAE intercepts drone over Dubai, no casualties reported59 seconds agoRajasthan Board RBSE 10th Class Result 2026 Live Updates: When can I expect RBSE Class 10th result?2 minutes agoUstaad Bhagat Singh Box Office Collection Day 1 Live Updates: Pawan Kalyan film earns Rs 31.5 cr, less than half of what They Call Him OG opened with7 minutes agoGATE 2026 Result Highlights: Result out at gate2026.iitg.ac.in, goaps.iitg.ac.in; scorecards next24 minutes ago