Oman Welcomes Plan to Revive Iran's Southern Coasts, Rouhani Says
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Muscat has welcomed Tehran’s initiative for the development of the Iranian southern coasts on the rims of the Sea of Oman, President Rouhani said upon arrival after an official visit to Oman.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday upon his arrival in Tehran following an official visit to Oman, President Hassan Rouhani elaborated on the outcomes of his trip to the sultanate, and said, “The Omani side welcomed Iran’s decisions on the Makran coasts, and expressed its preparedness to witness upheavals and help good developments happen across the coastal areas.”
The Iranian president had on Wednesday made his first official visit to a Persian Gulf state since taking the office in August 2013.
Heading a high-ranking delegation comprised of a number of his cabinet ministers and aides, Rouhani held separate meetings with Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said and other prominent officials during his stay in the Arab country.
Elsewhere in his comments after returning home, the president reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to boost cooperation with the neighboring countries, particularly the Persian Gulf littoral states.
“We believe that such close ties would be beneficial to the region and the global stability,” he underlined.
He also stressed that the strategic position of the Sea of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz further necessitates close cooperation and relations among the Persian Gulf littoral countries.
As regard the other results of his two-day visit to Oman, Rouhani said Tehran and Muscat have reached a number of agreements on shipping industry, environment, employment, investment, pharmaceuticals and tourism.
The Iranian chief executive paid the official visit to Oman at the invitation of Sultan Qaboos.
Rouhani has already visited several foreign states during his tenure, albeit to participate in various international conferences or official gatherings, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the UN General Assembly.
However, the trip to Oman marked Rouhani’s first tour of a foreign country as an official diplomatic visit, with the talk of bilateral relations on the agenda.
The Omani Sultan had in August travelled to Tehran to be the first head of state to pay an official visit to Iran during Rouhani’s term.