Tehran: Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi spoke on phone with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday and appealed for an firsthand ceasefire. Oman, which was playing the role of mediator between the US and Iran, said Tehran had indicated its readiness for de-escalation. These things have come at a time when Iran has unfurled missile and drone attacks for the second day in response to the US-Israeli attacks.
Why did Oman request for ceasefire?
Oman has unchangingly strived for peace in the region. The Foreign Ministry statement said Albusaidi stressed "an firsthand armistice and return to negotiations" so that the legitimate demands of all parties are met. Aragchi responded by saying Iran was "calling for peace" and was unshut to any serious effort that could stop tensions and return stability. Oman moreover reminded us that it was once holding indirect talks in Muscat and Geneva.
What did Iran say on de-escalation?
Iran's Foreign Minister told Oman that Tehran now wants peace. He cited the US-Israel attacks as a reason for increasing tensions and said that Iran is ready for any honest effort that can stop the escalation. Oman has tried to take forward this "open-mindedness" of Tehran, as it is towers a underpass of dialogue between the two sides.
Why was Oman itself attacked?
Oman, which had so far avoided the war, now became the target. On Sunday, two Iranian drones were shot lanugo at Duqm Port, injuring a foreign worker. Oman's state media reported that one drone fell on a workers' mobile housing unit, while the other fell near a fuel tank. This is the first time that such an wade took place on Omani soil. Earlier, Iran had attacked other Gulf countries.
What did Trump say on talks with Iran?
US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Atlantic Magazine that Iran's new leadership wants to talk to him and he has agreed. Trump said, "They want to talk, and I have well-set to talk. They should have washed-up it earlier, much earlier. They were too late." Trump did not say with whom or when the talks would take place – Sunday or Monday. But his tone is well-spoken that now the path to talks is open, although the attacks will continue.
How important is Oman's mediation?
Oman has been the only country in the Gulf that has remained a neutral mediator between Iran and America. He has been hosting indirect talks in Muscat and has been driving discussions in Geneva since the whence of the year. Even without Khamenei's death and attacks, Oman is saying that the door of affairs is not closed. Albusaidi wrote on social media that "the door to affairs is still open" and that he remains hopeful for peace despite the war.
Overall, the situation is very critical. On one hand attacks and deaths continue, on the other hand, countries like Oman are trying to negotiate. Trump's visa of talks and Iran's indication of de-escalation are a ray of hope, but the wade on Duqm Port shows that tensions have not subsided yet. The coming days will tell whether talks move forward or the war spreads further.
