Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidy, Foreign Minister, received a telephone call from Dr Abbas Araghchi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, during which the latter conveyed his country's appreciation for the constructive role of the Sultanate of Oman and its unwavering diplomatic endeavours aimed at defusing the current crisis and restoring the path of dialogue and negotiation.
The Iranian minister also communicated the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which advocates for peace, noting that the Israeli-US attack upon his country had intensified the state of tension and alarm throughout the region, while reaffirming the Iranian side's openness to any earnest efforts contributing to de-escalation and the return to stability.
For his part, Sayyid Badr underscored the Sultanate of Oman's steadfast commitment to advocating for a ceasefire and a return to dialogue and negotiation as the means to resolve the ongoing conflict through diplomacy, in a manner that realises the legitimate aspirations of all parties, while urging the Iranian side to exercise restraint and to avoid anything that might undermine or perturb relations of good neighbourliness.
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
Meanwhile, Sayyid Badr conducted extensive conversations with a number of foreign ministers of brotherly and friendly countries.
The discussions focused on the rapidly evolving regional developments particularly in light of the Israeli-US war on the Islamic Republic of Iran and its serious repercussions on the security and stability of several countries in the region.
Sayyid Badr emphasised the Sultanate of Oman’s concern regarding the attacks targeting the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and several other brotherly Arab states. He noted that the continued military escalation does not contribute to resolving the ongoing conflict, stressing the need to address its root causes, halt military operations and contain the crisis and its impact on the region.
They all stressed the need for an immediate halt to all sorts of escalation, respect for the sovereignty of states and the principles of international law, emphasising the importance of restraint, prioritising dialogue and diplomacy and returning to political and negotiation tracks.
DRONE ATTACK
A security source has reported that the commercial port of Duqm was targeted by two unmanned aerial vehicles. One of the drones struck a mobile workers' housing unit, injuring an expatriate worker, while the debris of the second drone landed in an area adjacent to fuel storage tanks, with no loss of life or material damage.
The Sultanate of Oman affirms its condemnation of this attack and confirms that it is undertaking all necessary measures to address any actions that may impinge upon the safety of the nation and those residing within it.
The Maritime Security Center (MSC) has also announced that the oil tanker Skylight, flagged to the Republic of Palau, was subjected to an attack approximately five nautical miles north of the port of Khasab in the Governorate of Musandam.
The entire crew of 20 individuals — comprising 15 Indian nationals and five Iranian nationals — has been safely evacuated.
Preliminary reports indicate that four crew members sustained injuries of varying degrees and have been transported to receive requisite medical care.
The Maritime Security emphasised that the rescue operations were conducted through coordination among various military, security, and civil units, reflecting the national preparedness to handle maritime incidents.
Meanwhile, Jassim bin Mohamed al Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the GCC, expressed his strong condemnation and denunciation of the attacks that targeted the commercial port of Duqm in the Sultanate of Oman.
The Secretary-General emphasised the full solidarity of the GCC and its unified stance alongside the Sultanate of Oman in all measures it undertakes, reaffirming the Council's rejection of all forms of aggression targeting the security of its member states.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait also expressed their condemnation and denunciation in the strongest terms of the targeting of the commercial Port of Duqm, affirming their full solidarity with the Sultanate of Oman. - ONA
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