Iranian President receives Sayyid Fahd
The visit took place within the context of the Iranian President's current visit to the Sultanate of Oman.
The meeting reviewed aspects of bilateral cooperation across various fields, as well as pathways to enhance common interests in a manner that serves both the Omani and Iranian peoples.
It was attended by Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Foreign Minister and Ibrahim Ahmed Al Mu'aini, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Islamic Republic of Iran, in addition to some officials at the Iranian government.
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Times of Oman
5 hours ago
- Times of Oman
"No meaning in any talks unless credible guarantee is provided": Iran sets terms for dialogue with US
New Delhi: Keeping the door open for diplomacy, Iran has stated that any negotiation process with the US is meaningless until Washington provides a "credible guarantee" to prevent future acts of aggression by Israel and the US. In an email interview with ANI, Iran's Ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi emphasised Tehran's conditions for resuming dialogue with Washington. "As for negotiations with the United States, considering their betrayal of diplomacy and complicity with the Zionist regime in launching illegal attacks on Iran -- while a diplomatic process was still ongoing -- there will be no meaning or value in any talks unless a credible guarantee is provided to prevent the recurrence of such acts of aggression by the US and Israel in future negotiations," he said. The ambassador was referring to two major military operations carried out last month. On June 13, Israel launched "Operation Rising Lion", conducting widespread airstrikes on Iranian soil targeting nuclear sites at Natanz and Fordow, missile production centres, and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) command bases. Several top IRGC commanders and nuclear scientists were reportedly assassinated during the operation. This was followed by US strikes on June 21-22 under "Operation Midnight Hammer", which also targeted Iranian nuclear infrastructure. Iran has strongly condemned both operations, calling them a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter. "The Israeli regime, which possesses nuclear weapons and has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), attacked our country under the pretext of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. There is no evidence of such intentions, and our nuclear program is under the strictest IAEA inspections," Elahi stated. He further added that the US attacks lacked any legal justification and described them as "a crime of aggression."He also claimed that the operations involved cyber and terrorist elements, resulting in the deaths of several scientists, professors, military figures, and innocent civilians."These attacks represent an unprecedented and flagrant violation of Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the UN Charter, the non-proliferation regime, resolutions of the IAEA Board of Governors, and UN Security Council Resolution 2231," Elahi said. The envoy also accused the US and Israel of undermining diplomacy. "The Zionist regime's attacks, in collusion with the US, occurred just two days before the sixth round of Iran-U.S. negotiations. It was a betrayal of diplomacy and a clear indication of America's lack of seriousness in dialogue. "Dismissing Israel's justification of the attack as a preemptive act to neutralise an existential threat, Elahi asserted, "This claim is entirely baseless and has no foundation in international law. Iran has never attacked any country in its history. Even though we do not recognise Israel and view it as an occupying and apartheid regime, our position on the Palestinian issue is peaceful -- a referendum involving all original inhabitants." On the nuclear issue, the ambassador reiterated that Iran's programme remains peaceful. "According to IAEA reports, Iran's nuclear activities show no deviation toward weaponisation. The justification by Israel and the US for attacking peaceful facilities is both illegal and illogical." Responding to questions about Iran's recent decision to limit cooperation with the IAEA, Elahi said Tehran remains a member of the NPT and is committed to its provisions. However, he blamed the Agency's politicisation for the current situation. "The Parliament's decision to suspend cooperation reflects public dissatisfaction with the IAEA's biased behaviour, especially its Director General's silence on the attacks. The expectation was that he would either help prevent such aggression or at least condemn it -- he did neither," Elahi said.
Times of Oman
5 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Iran reopens airspace to domestic, international flights
Tehran: Iran on Friday announced that it has reopened its airspace that it had shut down on June 13 due to the war with Israel, state media reported. "The Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini airports, along with airports in the north, east, west, and south of the country, have been put back into operation and are ready to provide flight services," the official IRNA news agency said. Domestic and international flights will be operated from all airports in the country, except for Isfahan and Tabriz airports, during the day from 5 am to 6 pm, authorities said. Also, immediately after the infrastructure of Isfahan and Tabriz airports is ready, these two airports will also join the country's air transport network, IRNA report stated. Meanwhile, the United States on Thursday issued a new wave of sanctions against Iranian oil exports, since a ceasefire between Israel and Iran came into effect last month, AlJazeera reported. Among those targeted by the sanctions are Iraqi businessman Salim Ahmed Said and his United Arab Emirates-based company, which the US accused of smuggling Iranian oil by blending it with Iraqi oil, the report stated. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement that "Treasury will continue to target Tehran's revenue sources and intensify economic pressure to disrupt the regime's access to the financial resources that fuel its destabilizing activities." In June this year, Iran shut its airspace entirely last month after Israel and the US launched a wave of air strikes, prompting Iranian retaliatory missile fire. On June 13, Israel had attacked Iran, killing top Iranian military and security officials in targeted strikes. Iran retaliated on the same day, targeting sites in Israeli-occupied territories with missiles and drones. On June 22 US joined the Israeli campaign and struck three Iranian nuclear facilities -- Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow. Iran responded a day later by launching missiles at the United States' largest military base in West Asia, the headquarters of the United States Air Forces Central Command in Qatar. A day after that, on June 24 a ceasefire between the two countries was reached. Meanwhile, the Pentagon in a recent assessment has said that Iran's ability to build a nuclear weapon following the US strike on its nuclear facilities is "closer to two years" away. When asked what the latest intelligence might show, Sean Parnell, the Pentagon's chief spokesperson, told reporters at a Pentagon briefing that the administration's stance is unchanged that Iran's nuclear sites were "completely obliterated," ABC News reported. Iran had been involved in "indirect negotiations" with the United States over its nuclear program and US and international sanctions on Tehran when Israel attacked. New talks were due to take place shortly but were effectively canceled when the Israeli attacks began war and Oman had hosted earlier rounds of the indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States. International Atomic Energy Agency.(IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said last week that he believed Iran could begin enriching uranium in a matter of months.
Observer
18 hours ago
- Observer
A Gateway to Sustainable Gulf Renaissance
In the corridors of Al Bustan Palace in Muscat, during the recent Oman-Saudi Knowledge Dialogue Forum, the gathering was not merely a stage for speeches or immature consumption of ideas; it was a laboratory for shaping the future. Around 70 Saudi universities joined forces with Omani higher education institutions, research centres, and innovation companies to forge a shared Gulf vision rooted in education and scientific research. This partnership is anchored in centuries-old ties of religion, language, and tradition, now extended by emerging geopolitical realities: Oman, gateway to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean; Saudi Arabia, the dominant land corridor and the Middle East's largest economy. The opening of the Empty Quarter border crossing reduced transport time between Al Duqm and Al Riyadh from days to mere hours, marking the birth of a commercial artery fuelling both nations' visions. The forum resembled a grand workshop for engineering the future, where political will aligned with academic enthusiasm. Oman Vision 2040 and Saudi Vision 2030 met on common ground: a shared belief that nations rise not from the depths of their oil fields, but from the cultivation of intellect. Investing in people yields returns that oil cannot during crises. This partnership draws strength from three key streams: cultural proximity rooted in shared religion and language; geopolitical synergy; and ambitious economic diversification focusing on hydrogen energy, AI, and advanced industries. These ambitions reflect in national plans, aiming for non-oil sectors to contribute 50 per cent of Saudi GDP and over 90 per cent of Oman's GDP by mid-century. This forward-looking vision naturally extends to education and research. The forum resulted in a concrete road map: launching extensive student and academic exchanges, joint research in renewable energy, biotechnology and AI, and establishing innovation hubs in Al Duqm and NEOM. However, realising a knowledge economy demands robust data infrastructure and legal frameworks. The two nations must adopt unified academic standards, enable seamless mobility of graduates and build a digital platform linking research to industry, ensuring that local innovation remains local. Education remains the cornerstone of national goals. Oman Vision 2040 includes raising university enrolment, updating curricula to stimulate creativity, and targeting top 20 rankings in global innovation indices by 2040. Similarly, Saudi Arabia is expanding its R&D infrastructure, increasing the number of universities and research centres and aiming to reduce graduate unemployment by 2030. The academic cooperation seen in the forum reflects urgent, mutual needs. The involvement of numerous Saudi and Omani universities opened the door to joint research, talent exchanges and innovation centres. Studies show that institutional twinning can double research output within a few years, translating into strong industrial and economic outcomes. The partnership should not remain confined to academia; there is potential for industrial collaboration, such as a tech-industrial corridor between Oman's Dhofar and Saudi Arabia's Jazan, focused on clean tech, food, and pharmaceuticals. To ensure implementation, a high-level coordination workshop is necessary, followed by a joint follow-up unit publishing semi-annual progress reports. A joint innovation fund should also be created, with proportional contributions from both sides to support projects for the first five years. Ideally, this bilateral project could scale to include other Arab countries. A proposal for an Arab Scientific Council, gathering ministers of education and research, could align regional priorities. Lessons from the EU show that successful coordination across diverse cultures and languages is possible with a centralised mechanism. The Oman-Saudi partnership is a seed to be nurtured by shared heritage, driven by strategic vision, and fertilised by digital knowledge tools. Let the Knowledge Dialogue Forum not be a mere display of ambitions but the first step in an active plan, of joint research networks, academic exchange, and innovation financing that values minds and shelters ideas. In this complex age, those who remain on the sidelines of knowledge are doomed to follow. Only those who lead the global scientific movement will shape history, not merely record it.
