Asharq Al Awsat, in its July 12 print edition, quotes Iranian officials as saying they are preparing a ‘new package’ of positions on international security, politics and international relations. This reformulation, apparently, is to serve as the basis for ‘renewed discussions’ with the West, and follows warnings from the G8 Summit that Iran has “until September to engage in negotiations over its nuclear program or face even more painful sanctions.” At roughly the same time, Iranian foreign minister Manuchehr Mottaki announced the Islamic Republic is on the verge of signing a security pact with the Sultanate of Oman, an agreement Omani Foreign Minister Yousef bin Aloui said would lead to a “new stage in the bilateral relationship…and a firm basis for growing cooperation with Iran.” [Interestingly, a picture above the story shows bin Aloui and Iranian President Ahmedinejad under a large map, on which is prominently written "Persian Gulf"]
Thickening the diplomatic stew, the Syrian government paper “Tishreen” reported today that Syrian president Bashar Assad received a letter from Sultan Qaboos urging Syria to take advantage of ‘positive Arab environment’ to help find a common solution to security issues facing the Arab states.
Clearly, Oman continues its traditional role of “balancer” within the GCC and Arab world in general, hoping to keep all sides in the game, and talking. These are not new moves, for during the last two years Oman has been increasingly public in its high-level engagement with Iran on commercial matters–particularly during the last months of the Bush administration, when US-Iran tensions hit their last trough. Oman, which has strong historical/commercial/security ties with Iran, clearly feels it is in the position to say what many other States in the Gulf will not, or cannot: i.e., a hot conflict between the West and/or “centrist”, Sunni Arab states and Iran over nuclear issue has the potential to set the region–Iran included–back a good many years.
-EDC
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