DUBAI (Reuters) – Oman is pleased with its current relationship with Israel, the foreign minister said Thursday, even after two Arab Gulf states normalized ties with Israel and raised US hopes that others would follow suit.
“As far as Israel is concerned, we are so far satisfied with the level of our current relations and dialogue, involving the appropriate channels of communication,” said Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi. Oman, he added, was committed to peace between Israel and the Palestinians based on a two-state solution.
The Gulf, which borders the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, normalized relations with Israel last year, making it only the third and fourth Arab state in more than 70 years. The administration of then US President Donald Trump had hoped that other Gulf states would form formal ties as well.
Outside the Gulf, Morocco and Sudan have since normalized relations with Israel.
Busaidi also said Oman was willing to help save Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal, which had been fraying since 2018 when Trump pulled the United States from the pact, but felt that existing U.S. lines of communication with Tehran could suffice.
Asked at an online event about the likelihood of Oman mediating in new attempts to restore the deal Iran has signed with world powers, Busaidi said Muscat has very good relationships with both Tehran and Washington and was ready to help if needed.
“I believe the channels are open directly between the foreign policy teams in Washington and Iran. I see no reason why those channels cannot be reactivated,” Busaidi said at the Atlantic Council event.
The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) limited Iran’s uranium enrichment activities to make it more difficult for Tehran to develop nuclear weapons, if it wanted, in exchange for easing US and other sanctions.
Trump dropped the deal, called it too lenient Iran, and re-imposed sanctions that paralyzed the Iranian economy.
New US President Joe Biden has said Washington will rejoin the JCPOA if Iran stops breaching its enrichment limits and returns to full compliance with the deal.
Busaidi, appointed in August after Oman’s new Sultan Haitham delegated this position from his own portfolio, reiterated Oman’s long-standing policy of neutrality in a turbulent region.
“Omani foreign policy has always tried to maintain and encourage dialogue between as many parties as possible,” he said.
(Reporting by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Mark Heinrich)