Pezeshkian Visits Oman Next Week to Enhance Relations

A handout photo made available by the Iranian Presidential Office shows Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (L) greeting Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi at a meeting in Tehran, Iran, 18 May 2025. EPA/IRANIAN PRESIDENT OFFICE HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the Iranian Presidential Office shows Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (L) greeting Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi at a meeting in Tehran, Iran, 18 May 2025. EPA/IRANIAN PRESIDENT OFFICE HANDOUT
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Pezeshkian Visits Oman Next Week to Enhance Relations

A handout photo made available by the Iranian Presidential Office shows Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (L) greeting Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi at a meeting in Tehran, Iran, 18 May 2025. EPA/IRANIAN PRESIDENT OFFICE HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the Iranian Presidential Office shows Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (L) greeting Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi at a meeting in Tehran, Iran, 18 May 2025. EPA/IRANIAN PRESIDENT OFFICE HANDOUT

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to visit next week the Sultanate of Oman, the mediator in the ongoing indirect nuclear talks between the US and Iran, official Iranian media reported.

They quoted a spokesman for the presidency as saying that during the visit to Muscat, Pezeshkian will hold bilateral meetings with senior officials.

The announcement came one day after Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi held talks with the Iranian President and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the Tehran Dialogue Forum.

Oman’s Foreign Ministry, which has been acting as a mediator between Tehran and Washington since April 12, will officially reveal the time and location of the fifth round of indirect nuclear talks between the two sides.

Last week, the US and Iran concluded a fourth round of nuclear talks in Muscat amid cautious optimism about a new accord that would prevent Tehran from having a nuclear weapon.

During his meeting with Albusaidi, Pezeshkian said that his upcoming trip to Oman will serve as a turning point in deepening relations between the two sides.

He praised bilateral relations between Iran and Oman, and hailed Muscat for its benevolent, committed, and constructive role in hosting the indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

“We hope that through the sincere and genuine efforts and intentions of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, these talks will lead to a just agreement that ensures lasting peace and stability in the region,” said Pezeshkian.

Later, Omani and Iranian foreign ministers held a meeting to discuss the nuclear issue.

“The two ministers discussed a range of ideas and proposals related to the ongoing Iranian-American talks aimed at reaching an agreement that fairly, practically and bindingly addresses the concerns and interests of both parties, and contributes to regional security and stability,” Oman’s official news agency said in a statement.

Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani then joined the meeting and the three ministers discussed the Iranian-US nuclear talks.

The meeting hoped Washington and Tehran will reach a fair, durable, and binding agreement, one that reinforces security, stability, and peace across the region, while elevating new heights for regional cooperation and dialogue.

Later at the Tehran Dialogue Forum, Oman’s Foreign Minister expressed optimism regarding recent signals, particularly from Washington, which he said may reflect a shift towards a more realistic and flexible approach to identifying viable dialogue partners.
He underlined that dialogue is not an easy option, but added that it is the only viable path to achieving a just settlement.

“While this development comes amid military escalation and immense humanitarian suffering, it points to a renewed willingness for genuine dialogue — even as Tel Aviv continues to avoid it through intensifying conflict on multiple fronts,” Albusaidi said.

Commenting on Pezeshkian’s visit to Oman, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said: “The visit of high-ranking Iranian and Omani officials to Muscat and Tehran is a normal thing and there are good relations between the two countries.”

He added: “The President's visit to Oman has been on the agenda for some time and this visit will be carried out and its details will be announced by the President's Office.”

The Iranian President’s upcoming trip to Oman comes following a visit to Baku last month.

Like Iran’s previous government, Pezeshkian's administration, which has been in office since August 2024, has articulated a “neighborly policy” that has at its core improved relations with Iran's Arab neighbors.

In May 2023, Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said visited Tehran for talks that focused on regional diplomatic and security issues. His visit was the first since he took office in 2020. It came a year after former President Ebrahim Raisi visited the Sultanate.

Iran, which faces a deteriorating economy hit by US sanctions, is seeking to strengthen its trade ties with Muscat.

Last February, Iran’s Industry, Mining, and Trade Minister Mohammad Atabak said his country exported approximately $1.146 billion worth of goods to Oman in the first nine months of 2024, marking a 15% increase compared to the same period last year.



Israel Clears Path for Potential Strike on Iran's Nuclear Sites

Smoke rises near Iran’s Abadan refinery on June 14, 2025 (Reuters)
Smoke rises near Iran’s Abadan refinery on June 14, 2025 (Reuters)
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Israel Clears Path for Potential Strike on Iran's Nuclear Sites

Smoke rises near Iran’s Abadan refinery on June 14, 2025 (Reuters)
Smoke rises near Iran’s Abadan refinery on June 14, 2025 (Reuters)

Israel's top military officials on Saturday issued a stark warning that the path to Tehran is now “paved,” signaling the possibility of a broader confrontation with Iran that could include strikes on additional nuclear sites.

The comments by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, and Air Force Commander Tomer Bar came after a high-level security assessment meeting, following what Israeli media described as a dramatic and unprecedented aerial assault on Iranian territory late Friday and early Saturday.

The Israeli military confirmed in a statement that the air force had launched a wave of airstrikes on dozens of targets in the Iranian capital, including infrastructure linked to surface-to-air missile systems.

“In accordance with our operational plans, our aircraft have begun targeting sites in Tehran,” the military said.

Bar confirmed the strikes, saying they were aimed at degrading Iran’s air defense capabilities in the Tehran area. “Dozens of Israeli warplanes flew over Tehran for the first time since the start of the conflict, striking multiple defensive systems,” he said, adding that operations will continue across all fronts.

“These were precision strikes of operational and national significance, aimed at enhancing our air superiority and freedom of action deep inside Iran,” Bar said.

“We chose to act with professionalism, determination, and accuracy in confronting an existential threat to the safety of our citizens. This is the first time such a number of Israeli aircraft have operated over Tehran, more than 1,500 kilometers from our borders.”

The military said the strikes delivered a direct blow to the Iranian regime’s air defense infrastructure near Tehran.

The reference to a “paved road” to the Iranian capital echoed that assessment — interpreted by analysts as a message that Israel now views Tehran as within reach of sustained military operations.

Israel’s recent airstrikes on Iran were carefully designed to dismantle Tehran’s air defenses and long-range strike capabilities, with analysts saying the country’s nuclear facilities — considered the ultimate target — were not the immediate priority.

Military affairs commentator Avi Ashkenazi wrote in Maariv that while Iran’s nuclear sites remain Israel’s top strategic objective, they were not the most urgent threat.

Instead, the Israeli Air Force focused on two primary axes in its latest operation: neutralizing Iran’s air defense systems and destroying its capabilities to launch ballistic missiles and armed drones.

Ashkenazi said the air campaign was initially devised by Halevi and Bar, and later refined with current military chief Zamir. The targets were prioritized based on the immediacy of the threat, rather than long-term strategic importance.

Israel’s Channel 12 correspondent Nir Dvori reported that among the targets hit during the strikes was a hangar housing fighter jets, underscoring a wider plan to expand operations inside Iranian territory.

Dvori added that within a day of launching the assault, the Israeli Air Force had successfully “cleared the path” to Tehran, now operating freely in Iranian airspace without facing resistance.

The earlier comments by Zamir and Bar about a “paved road” to Tehran were widely interpreted as confirmation of this operational freedom.

A separate Channel 12 report said Israeli forces completed the destruction of several air defense systems en route to Tehran, effectively “clearing the way” and removing key threats.

This, it said, would pave the way for future strikes of varying scope, targeting a wider range of objectives inside the Iranian capital based on years of military planning and capability development.

Meanwhile, Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli military had destroyed the majority of Iran’s air defense batteries, while Israel’s public broadcaster KAN said the unprecedented operation allowed Israeli warplanes to fly at various altitudes over Tehran with minimal interference.

The broadcaster added that taking out Iranian air defenses was currently Israel’s most urgent military priority.