TEHRAN – A senior Iranian diplomat has said that Iran discussed with Oman the activation of a transit route connecting Oman to a number of Central Asian countries. 

The official, Alireza Enayati, who is the head of the Persian Gulf Bureau at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, spoke about the trade corridor as part of explaining the achievements of the Sultan of Oman’s two-day trip to Tehran. 

“Relations between Iran and Oman have accelerated compared to the past after Dr. Raisi's visit to the Sultanate of Oman last year and the signing of several cooperation documents. Based on this, the parties developed and deepened their cooperation at different levels,” Enayati said in remarks to IRNA. 

He said, “The volume of trade between Iran and Oman increased to 2 billion dollars last year.”

In the field of transportation and shipping, we also saw progress between the two sides, the diplomat noted. “One of the important points that were and still is the focus of Raisi's trip and the Sultan of Oman's trip to Iran is the topic of transportation and transit, on which good discussions took place between the two sides,” he explained. 

Enayati also pointed to the Ashgabat Agreement which is designed to turn Iran into a transit hub between many countries. 

“Serious discussions have been held between Tehran and Muscat for the activation of the Ashgabat Agreement, which is a transit between Iran, Oman, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and we hope to see the activation of this corridor in the future,” he said. 

“In the field of investment, free zones and energy, a discussion was held between two Iranian and Omani delegations during this trip, and the parties emphasized the development and deepening of these cooperations,” Enayati stated. 

Sultan Haitham bin Tarik concluded his two-day visit to Iran and left Tehran for Muscat on Monday morning after meeting Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. In Tehran, he met with President Raisi and First-Vice President Mohammad Mokhber.

Heading a large politico-economic delegation, Sultan Haitham arrived in Tehran on Sunday. His visit gave new momentum to Iran-Oman relations, which have already been strong and historical.

“Although relations between Iran and Oman are in an upward trend and can be referred to as a ‘successful bilateral cooperation model’, it has more capacities for development,” Enayati said. “In their talks, the heads of the two countries emphasized that along with political relations, economic and commercial relations should also increase.”

The Leader also stressed the need for further expansion of Iran-Oman relations. “We believe that the expansion of bilateral relations in all fields is beneficial for both countries,” he added, according to khamenei.ir. 

The Leader also referred to the negotiations that have taken place between the Iranian and Omani sides. “The important thing is that these negotiations should be followed up seriously until tangible results are achieved, and eventually relations should be expanded,” he said.