Oman Welcomes British Nationals Released by Iran

The British national are welcomed in Muscat after their release. (Omani FM on Twitter)
The British national are welcomed in Muscat after their release. (Omani FM on Twitter)
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Oman Welcomes British Nationals Released by Iran

The British national are welcomed in Muscat after their release. (Omani FM on Twitter)
The British national are welcomed in Muscat after their release. (Omani FM on Twitter)

Oman announced that the two British nationals, who were released by Iran on Wednesday, had arrived in the Sultanate.

British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and dual national Anousheh Ashouri left Iran on Wednesday, ending years of detention, after the UK government paid its $530 million debt to Tehran, Iranian state media reported.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Ashouri were flown in to Muscat on board a Royal Air Force of Oman jet. They will then be flown to their homes.

Oman announced that it had coordinate the release of the detainees at the orders of Sultan Haithan bin Tariq, responding to a plea from the British government.

"Nazanin and Anoosheh have arrived safely in Oman. Sincere thanks for the hard work and good faith in Tehran and London that made this possible," tweeted Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi.

"Soon they will be with their loved ones at home. We hope this result will bring further progress in the dialogue between the parties."

Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation was arrested at a Tehran airport in April 2016 and later convicted by an Iranian court of plotting to overthrow the clerical establishment.

Ashouri was sentenced to 10 years in jail in 2019 for spying for Israel's Mossad and two years for "acquiring illegitimate wealth", according to Iran's judiciary.

The releases came after Tehran and London pressed on with talks about a long-standing 400-million-pound ($520 mln) debt.



Saudi Leadership Congratulates Egyptian President on National Day

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
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Saudi Leadership Congratulates Egyptian President on National Day

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud sent on Tuesday a cable of congratulations to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on his country's National Day.

King Salman wished Sisi continued good health and the government and people of Egypt steady progress and prosperity.

He lauded the strong Saudi-Egyptian ties, emphasizing the shared desire to foster growth in all sectors.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, sent Sisi a similar cable on the occasion.