Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in the Omani capital Muscat on Saturday to hold discussions on bilateral relations and regional developments, according to Iran's state-run news agency IRNA. Omani officials extended a formal welcome to Araghchi upon his arrival at the airport, the agency reported, though no further details about the meetings have been released yet.
Strait of Hormuz Tensions on Agenda
On Friday, IRNA disclosed that the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz would be among the key topics addressed during Araghchi's visit. This comes amid heightened military activity in the strategic waterway, through which about 20% of the world's oil passes. In mid-June, Iran and the United States reached a Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding aimed at ending their military conflict and achieving a lasting peace agreement. However, the fragile truce has been threatened by recent exchanges of attacks.
Recent Escalation Between Iran and US
Over the past two days, both sides have engaged in retaliatory strikes, escalating tensions. Tehran launched a series of attacks on Thursday targeting US military infrastructure in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Jordan. These strikes were in retaliation for a second consecutive night of US attacks on Iranian positions. The escalation followed Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which prompted the US response.
The Pakistan-brokered memorandum, signed in June, had raised hopes for de-escalation, but the recent violence underscores the volatility of the situation. The visit by Araghchi to Oman is seen as a diplomatic effort to address these regional challenges and explore avenues for reducing tensions.
