Muscat/Tehran: A meeting between Iran and Gulf states scheduled to take place in the Omani city of Salalah on Monday has been postponed, according to a social media post by Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi on Sunday.
“In the interests of consensus the regional meeting set for tomorrow in Salalah has been postponed,” Al Busaidi said on X.
“We remain committed to fostering dialogue that supports stability and lasting cooperation in our region,” he added.
Confirming the meeting’s deferral in an interview with Iran’s official news agency IRNA, Mohammad Ali Bak, director general of the Persian Gulf at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said it was postponed to another date at some regional countries’ requests and based on a joint decision by Iran and Oman.
The official stressed that Iran is in close consultations with Oman to ensure the necessary arrangements and coordination regarding the appropriate time for holding the meeting, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei announced on Friday that Gulf littoral states’ foreign ministers were scheduled to meet in Oman on Monday to exchange views on regional issues, including the Iran-Oman talks on designating safe routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to media on Saturday, Baghaei said the gathering would “hopefully” be attended by foreign ministers from Gulf states as well as Iran and Iraq.
Meanwhile, Iraq announced on Sunday a phased reopening of three major border crossings with neighbouring Iran, following administrative and technical reviews to enhance security and streamline border movement.
According to a statement by the Security Media Cell (SMC), affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command, the decision was made under the directives of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to upgrade organisational and technical infrastructure at the Shalamcheh, Mandali, and al-Sheeb border crossings.
Under the schedule, passenger travel through the al-Sheeb and Shalamcheh border crossings resumed at 6 am on Sunday, while commercial trade activities at Shalamcheh will resume on Monday, followed by Mandali on Tuesday and al-Sheeb on Thursday, the statement said.
The SMC emphasised that trade and passenger movement with Iran at the Zurbatiyah and al-Munthiriya crossings have remained unaffected and continue to operate around the clock.
(IANS)
