Omani FM in Iran to discuss issues of bilateral and regional importance

Tabnak – Known internationally for its moderate positions in regional and international issues, Oman has in several cases acted as a potential mediator between Iran and the Western countries. With tensions between Iran and the US and UK again on the rise, Omani foreign minister once again visited Iran for diplomatic talks.

Oman’s Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah arrived in Tehran on Saturday morning and met with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

In the gathering, the two senior diplomats reviewed the process of close cooperation and ties between the two nations, and emphasized the need for the continuation of consultations between Tehran and Muscat. Zarif and bin Alawi also discussed the latest regional and international developments.

Iran and Oman share age-old and close diplomatic, economic, and commercial ties.

Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said played an important role in facilitating the early stages of nuclear talks between Iran and the world power which resulted in the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran and Oman have also held several naval exercises in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman in recent years.

On April 19, high-ranking military officials from Iran and Oman signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost cooperation between the two neighboring countries in various military spheres.

Tensions have been running high between Tehran and Washington since last year, when President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the 2015 multilateral nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and unleashed the “toughest ever” sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

Recently, the US has taken a quasi-warlike posture against Iran and stepped up its provocative military moves in the Middle East, among them the June 20 incursion of an American spy drone into the Iranian borders.

Oman says it is making efforts to reduce spiraling tensions between Iran and the Unites States.