Pezeshkian: Iran, Oman need to facilitate economic exchanges
Sultan Haitham highlights North-South corridor’s great importance Tehran, Muscat sign 18 cooperation documents
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday stressed Iran’s readiness to expand cooperation with Oman in all fields, underscoring the need to facilitate economic exchanges and remove trade barriers between the two Persian Gulf countries.
Pezeshkian made the remarks in a meeting with Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said in Muscat where high-ranking officials of the two countries signed 18 cooperation documents in the fields of law, economy, politics, culture, education, health, defense, media, technology, energy and mining.
The Iranian president said Tehran is ready to step up cooperation with Oman in financial, scientific, educational, technological, and especially medical fields.
Referring to limited oil and gas resources, he said it is necessary that the merchants and industrialists of both countries look ahead, plan for future generations, and strengthen long-term economic foundations.
Pezeshkian also appreciated Oman’s mediation role in Tehran’s nuclear talks with the United States, which has been underway since April.
Iran and the US have so far held five rounds of negotiations in Oman and Italy to resolve a decades-old dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program.
The Iranian president expressed hope that the negotiations would “lead to positive outcomes."
The Sultan of Oman, for his part, said Muscat is pursuing the negotiation process with seriousness and considers the success of Iran a success for the region.
He also called for more support for energy cooperation between the two countries. Oman’s Sultan said Iranian and Omani ports should expand their relations, stressing that Iran’s North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is of great importance for Muscat.
“Today, Oman, without relying on oil and gas and by focusing on boosting trade exchanges, is in a favorable position," he said.
The Sultan of Oman stressed that if Tehran and Muscat facilitate the activities of their business people, the two countries will witness a significant leap in their bilateral relations.
The two presidents also stressed on expansion of security and military relations.