TEHRAN - Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah has said that Tehran-Muscat ties are based on “honesty”, “friendship” and will not be affected by crises in the Middle East region.

Oman has “strongest” relations with Iran on the basis of “cooperation” and “friendship”, the foreign minister said in an interview with BBC Arabic. 

He added that Oman has good relations with Tehran regardless of differences between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

The Omani foreign minister also noted that conflicts between Iran and Saudi Arabia are not permanent and different views are quite natural in regional developments.

Alawi said it is the policy of Oman to distance from regional conflicts although the country is ready to help solve regional problems.

Iran and Oman have been enjoying close ties over the years. During the nuclear negotiations, Oman played an intermediary role, seeking to facilitate the talks between Iran and the U.S. as the main negotiating partners.

According to Times of Oman, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani praised Muscat’s “constructive role” in the nuclear talks.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on April 2, 2015, that Oman “not only hosted a number of important meetings, but also played a critical role in getting these talks off the ground in the first place”.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visited Oman and Kuwait in February following an initiative by the Kuwaiti emir to normalize ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia and some other Arab countries on the southern shores of the Persian Gulf. 

Despite unfriendly and sometime hostile remarks against Iran by the Saudi rulers, Iran has said it is ready to settle differences with Riyadh through dialogue.
  
NA/PA