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Zarif in Oman to Discuss Critical Topics

(L-R) Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, EU envoy Catherine Ashton, Omani Foreign Minister Yussef bin Alawi and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pose for a photo in Muscat November 9, 2014. REUTERS/Nicholas Kamm/Pool
(L-R) Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, EU envoy Catherine Ashton, Omani Foreign Minister Yussef bin Alawi and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pose for a photo in Muscat November 9, 2014. REUTERS/Nicholas Kamm/Pool
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Zarif in Oman to Discuss Critical Topics

(L-R) Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, EU envoy Catherine Ashton, Omani Foreign Minister Yussef bin Alawi and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pose for a photo in Muscat November 9, 2014. REUTERS/Nicholas Kamm/Pool
(L-R) Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, EU envoy Catherine Ashton, Omani Foreign Minister Yussef bin Alawi and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pose for a photo in Muscat November 9, 2014. REUTERS/Nicholas Kamm/Pool

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held discreet talks with his Omani counterpart Yusuf bin Alawi upon his arrival to Muscat before meeting Omani Sultan Qaboos bin Said. During the meeting with Sultan Qaboos, they discussed regional topics including events in Yemen, Syria, and developments in Iraqi Kurdistan.

This is the first visit of an Iranian official after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani visit mid of February.

According to Iranian media, the delegation headed by Zarif stopped in Muscat before heading to Doha on Monday to discuss bilateral ties and regional developments.

During his meeting with Qaboos, Zarif described Tehran-Muscat ties as special as he pointed out the similar stances towards regional dialogue and political topics not to mention bilateral economic, energy and navigation ties.

The purpose of the short visit to Oman and Qatar is to discuss regional topics and tense conditions, according to Zarif.

In this context, Zarif added that Omanis and Iranians share the point of view towards the referendum of Iraqi Kurdistan and that “no state supports the referendum on the international level.”

He reiterated Tehran’s insistence on protecting the unity of Iraq in accordance with the Iraqi constitution.

As for the nuclear deal, the Iranian FM renewed his country’s stance that rejects renegotiating the nuclear program and affirmed that Iran wouldn’t be the one to breach the deal first.

Iran's Ambassador to Oman Mohammad Reza Nouri stated that Iran is discussing facilities for Iranians’ entrance to Oman, revealing the progress achieved in economic cooperation during the past months and expressing hope that banking relations witness more advancement between Oman and Iran.

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Trump Sets New Deadline of 10 or 12 Days for Russia to Act on Ukraine

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire in a fire department school following a Russian air attack in Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine, Monday, July 28, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire in a fire department school following a Russian air attack in Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine, Monday, July 28, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
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Trump Sets New Deadline of 10 or 12 Days for Russia to Act on Ukraine

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire in a fire department school following a Russian air attack in Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine, Monday, July 28, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)
In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire in a fire department school following a Russian air attack in Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine, Monday, July 28, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

US President Donald Trump set a new deadline on Monday of 10 or 12 days for Russia to make progress toward ending the war in Ukraine or face consequences, underscoring frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the 3-1/2-year-old conflict.

Trump has threatened both sanctions on Russia and buyers of its exports unless progress is made. The fresh deadline suggests the US president is prepared to move forward on those threats after previous hesitation to do so.

Speaking in Scotland, where he is holding meetings with European leaders and playing golf, Trump said he was disappointed in Putin and shortening a 50-day deadline he had set on the issue earlier this month.

"I'm going to make a new deadline of about ... 10 or 12 days from today," Trump told reporters during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "There's no reason in waiting... We just don't see any progress being made."

There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin.

Ukraine welcomed the statement. Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff, thanked Trump in a social media post for "standing firm and delivering a clear message of peace through strength."

Trump, who has expressed annoyance also with Zelenskiy, has not always followed tough talk about Putin with action, citing what he deems a good relationship that the two men have had previously.

On Monday, Trump indicated he was not interested in more talks with Putin. He said sanctions and tariffs would be used as penalties for Moscow if it did not meet Trump's demands.

"There's no reason to wait. If you know what the answer is going to be, why wait? And it would be sanctions and maybe tariffs, secondary tariffs," Trump said. "I don't want to do that to Russia. I love the Russian people."

Ukraine had proposed a summit between Putin and Zelenskiy before the end of August, but the Kremlin has said that timeline was unlikely and that a meeting could only happen as a final step to clinch peace.

Russia's foreign ministry said on Saturday that if the West wanted real peace with Ukraine, it would stop supplying Kyiv with weapons.

Trump has repeatedly voiced exasperation with Putin for pursuing attacks on Ukraine despite US efforts to end the war. Trump has played up successes in other parts of the world where the United States has helped to broker peace agreements and has been flattered by some leaders who suggest he should be given the Nobel Peace Prize.

"I'm disappointed in President Putin," Trump said on Monday. "I'm going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number because I think I already know the answer what's going to happen."

Trump, who is also struggling to achieve a peace deal in Gaza, has touted his role in ending conflicts between India and Pakistan as well as Rwanda and Congo. Before returning to the White House in January, Trump campaigned on a promise to end Russia's conflict with Ukraine in a day.

"We thought we had that settled numerous times, and then President Putin goes out and starts launching rockets into some city like Kyiv and kills a lot of people in a nursing home or whatever," Trump said. "And I say that's not the way to do it."