MUSCAT (Dispatches) -- Iran’s Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian here Monday said the Islamic Republic sees no limits to expanding friendly relations with neighboring countries.
He met with Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud al-Said here after arriving for an official visit.
Amir-Abdollahian said boosting cooperation with the regional countries is among the new Iranian administration’s top priorities, including promotion of political, economic and cultural ties with Muscat.
He cited freight and passenger transport, energy and tourism as the potential areas for cooperation.
The minister also briefed the Omani official on the latest developments in the ongoing talks between Iran and the P4+1 group of countries in Vienna.
Iran, he said, is resolved to reach a “good agreement” if the opposite side shows goodwill and seriousness.
Amir-Abdollahian pointed to the war on Yemen, saying Iran’s principled stance is to support efforts aimed at finding a political solution to the crisis and hailed Oman’s position on the conflict.
Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies, including the United Arab Emirates, launched the brutal war against Yemen in March 2015 to eliminate Yemen’s popular Ansarullah movement and reinstall former Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, a staunch ally of Riyadh.
The Omani official, for his part, said Tehran and Muscat enjoy close and cordial relations but they need to further improve cooperation.
Oman is keen to play a role in promoting convergence among regional countries, he added.
Heading a delegation, the Iranian foreign minister arrived in Muscat earlier Monday for a day-long visit.
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival, Amir-Abdollahian hailed long-lasting and sustainable relations with Oman, saying expansion of ties with the Persian Gulf littoral states is a top priority of the administration.
Amir-Abdollahian later met Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi and discussed ways of bolstering mutual relations.
The Iranian minister lauded Oman’s approach to resolution of regional problems through cooperation, emphasizing that dialogue is the sole way out of the current problems that have plagued the region.
He said Tehran and Muscat enjoy growing economic cooperation and expressed hope that trade and economic interaction among regional countries would serve as a model for lasting peace and security.
The Omani foreign minister, for his part, pointed to Iran’s great economic capacities and human resources and stressed the importance of improving bilateral cooperation and making use of the region’s economic potential.