The Sultanate of Oman and Iran have enjoyed close relations developed over thousands of years of shared cultural history and trade exchanges. The visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to Iran, starting on Sunday, is expected to play a crucial role in bolstering relations further.
Oman and Iran have maintained good relations at the political level by holding talk sessions, during which the two countries reiterated their support for dialogue and peaceful means for resolving issues and conflicts in order to stabilise and sustain international peace and security.
In a statement, the Diwan of Royal Court said, "His Majesty's visit comes within the context of the continuous consultation and coordination between the two leaderships to discuss various developments at the regional and international arenas. The visit will also touch on promoting cooperation between Oman and Iran in different spheres to serve their current and future interests and aspirations."
The visit of His Majesty the Sultan to Iran is historical and highly honoured by many and comes as part of the pivotal role Oman plays in the region. Oman has been a vital channel for Iran in diplomatic affairs, given Oman's positive stand towards Iran, which has contributed to strengthening mutual trust. Oman has been seen as an honest and reliable mediator to keep the door open for dialogue with Arab and Western countries.
Recently, the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian appreciated Oman's role in lifting sanctions on Iran, describing it as "constructive and fruitful". In a statement to ONA, he said that the Sultanate of Oman has serious initiatives for the Iranian nuclear deal that will contribute to returning to the negotiations.
Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in his meeting with Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister, in Muscat, where they discussed bilateral cooperation and our shared commitment to fostering regional security, stability and constructive dialogue among all countries.
The Sultanate of Oman has been maintaining friendly relations with Iran, and according to the international media, Oman always played a constructive role through mediation and did not take any positions when it comes to resolving the conflicts in the region.
As Ibrahim bin Ahmed al Muaini, Ambassador of Oman to Iran, put it, Oman and Iran enjoy historical and stable relations. "Oman relies in its relations with other countries on several principles, including credibility and transparency," he said, adding that such principles enabled Oman to play prominent roles at the regional and international levels.
In regards to economic relations, the trade exchange between Oman and Iran grew by 27.9 per cent to reach RO 320.8 million by the end of 2022.
Data issued by the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI) indicated that the total Omani exports to Iran amounted to RO 207.4 million in 2022, of which RO 4.2 million is the value of Omani origin exports, compared to RO 1.2 million in 2021, constituting a surge by 244 per cent.
Ali Najafi Khoshroudi, Ambassador of Iran to Oman, said that trade and economic exchange between the two countries has tripled over the past two years. "Trade exchange between Oman and Iran reached $2 billion with a 60 per cent growth during the past year. The efforts are on to enhance air and sea transport between Oman and Iran will contribute significantly to boosting trade and economic exchange between Tehran and Muscat," he said.
As for the Iranian investments in Oman, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion indicated that the number of companies in which there is an Iranian contribution reached 1,847 by the end of 2022.
The official visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to Tehran is expected to result in signing several agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs).
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