TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote on his Twitter account on Tuesday that his country will stay with the friendly nation of Oman Sultanate. 

Zarif made a two-day trip to Oman, starting on Monday. 

“Yesterday and today, I visited Muscat to consult with high-ranking officials of Oman Sultanate over bilateral relations and regional and international issues,” Zarif said.

He further touched upon long-term warm relations between Iran and Oman and wrote, “We will stay with Oman Sultanate, a strong government with powerful nation.”

Iranian, Omani chief diplomats hold talks in Muscat 

In two separate meetings in Muscat on Monday and Tuesday, the Iranian and Omani foreign ministers exchanged views over a number of key regional issues. 

Zarif was leading a high-ranking delegation to Muscat. 

On Monday afternoon, Zarif and his Omani counterpart Yosef bin Alawi held their first round of meeting.

The two top diplomats also held their second meeting on Tuesday morning during which they explored new avenues to promote mutual cooperation in trade and economic fields.

Oman is the tenth largest importer of Iranian goods.

The Iranian foreign minister also held a meeting with Minister of the Royal Office Sultan bin Mohammed Al Namani on Tuesday, exchanging views over the latest political and regional developments. 

Also on Tuesday morning, Zarif held a meeting with Mohammad Abdolsalam, the spokesman for the Yemeni Ansarullah, in Muscat over the latest field developments in the war-hit Yemen. 

Meanwhile on Tuesday afternoon, the Iranian foreign minister attended a meeting with Fahd bin Mahmoud al Said, the deputy to Sultan Qaboos.

Both officials voiced their countries’ enthusiasm to enhance ties.    

Iran and Oman have been enjoying good economic and political ties over the past several decades. 

Oman acted as an intermediary between Iran and the United States during the Obama administration. The first unofficial meeting between Iran and the U.S. over Tehran’s nuclear program, which finally led to the conclusion of the JCPOA, took place in Oman. 

In 2011, Oman also helped release three U.S. nationals, who had illegally entered the Iranian territory from Iraq. 

Oman has taken the title of the Switzerland of the Middle East. The Iranian media refer to the Omani foreign minister as the “ambassador of peace”.

Now the country is mediating between Yemen and Saudi Arabia which have been at war since March 2015.

MJ/PA