Earlier in February, the second round of negotiations between the US and Iran was mediated by Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi in Geneva. And now on Sunday (March 1), he urged a ceasefire on a call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. As Tehran launched a second day of strikes in response to ongoing US-Israeli air raids.
Badr Albusaidi "affirmed the Sultanate of Oman's continued call for a ceasefire and a return to dialogue... in a manner that achieves the legitimate demands of all parties," Oman's foreign ministry said in a readout of a call with Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi.
On Sunday in Oman, which had been the only Gulf state spared from attack during the first day of the Iranian campaign, the port of Duqm was targeted by two Iranian drones, injuring one foreign worker, official state media reported.
According to the Oman foreign ministry statement, Araghchi said Iran was "calling for peace," and voiced "the openness of the Iranian side to any serious efforts that contribute to stopping the escalation and returning to stability".
Trending Stories
About second round of nuclear talks
The second round of talks between US and Iran have concluded in Geneva. Ahead of the talks, the US president made remarks about the consequences the country would face if the Oman-mediated negotiations failed. On Tuesday (Feb 17), hailing Oman for hosting the latest round of talks, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva that "a new window of opportunity has opened, under which we had the second round of the negotiations with the United States earlier today here in Geneva". Iran's top diplomat voiced hope, saying "a new window of opportunity" seen in fresh nuclear talks with Washington would lead to a lasting solution to the two countries' standoff.
(With agency inputs)

&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)