TEHRAN – A senior Iranian lawmaker has said that the time is ripe for Iran and Oman to move their relations to the next level.

The lawmaker, Mojtaba Zolnouri, who is deputy speaker of the parliament, underlined the need for comprehensively strengthening relations between Iran and Oman, especially in trade and economic fields.
 
“Now the conditions and fields for expanding cooperation between the two countries are better than ever,” Zolnouri said, according to IRNA. 

The lawmaker made the remarks at a commemorative ceremony held in Oman on the occasion of the anniversary of the demise of Imam Khomeini. 

 He appreciated the constructive role of the late Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Saeed Al Saeed in strengthening the relations between the two countries. Zolnouri also appreciated the recent visit to Tehran by the new Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarik Al Said, which is considered an effective step in strengthening relations and opening a new chapter in the cooperation between the two countries.

The lawmaker described Imam Khomeini as the herald of the unity of the Islamic world and monotheistic religions and religions.

Iran and Oman enjoy strong relations, which have been boosted by the recent visit of the Sultan to Tehran, where he met with Iran’s high-level officials, including Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Revolution, and President Ebrahim Raisi.

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

In his meeting with Sultan Haitham, Ayatollah Khamenei described the relations between Iran and Oman, long-standing, deep-rooted, and good. “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. 

He further stressed the importance of the increasing cooperation between Oman and Iran, due to the fact that both countries share the very important Strait of Hormuz waterway.

Raisi also hailed the strong Iran-Oman relations. He stressed that the strong relationship between the two nations is the result of shared strategy to promote regional convergence.

Based on Raisi’s remarks, relations between Tehran and Muscat have improved on all fronts, extending from commerce to investment.

Raisi said that there is a potential for closer collaboration between the two nations in areas of energy, trade, communications, defense, and security, as well as in shipping of goods by land and sea.

Sultan Haitham, for his part, emphasized the substantial improvement in Tehran-Muscat relations and said that since the Iranian president’s visit to Muscat in May of last year, both parties have been able to double trade exchanges.

He noted that the two nations should work harder to establish a level of collaboration in proportionate to their capacities.

During Raisi’s significant trip to Muscat last year Iran and Oman signed 12 cooperation documents and memorandums of understanding to advance collaboration in a variety of sectors.