Oman's Foreign Minister: We Will Not Normalize with 'Israel' or Join the 'Peace Council'

Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi confirmed on Wednesday that the Sultanate of Oman will not normalize relations with the Israeli occupation and will not join the "Peace Council," stressing that the current war's "goal is to weaken Iran, reshape the region, push for normalization, and prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state." 

During a meeting with local newspaper editors-in-chief, Albusaidi said that "the Sultanate of Oman will not enter the Peace Council, and will not normalize with Israel," affirming that his country's position on regional issues is firm, as reported by the Oman newspaper.

In his analysis of the background of the US-Israeli war against Iran, Albusaidi opined that its real goal "is not limited to the nuclear file but extends to weakening Iran, reshaping the region, pushing for normalization, in addition to preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state, and weakening all who support the project."

The Omani minister pointed to "a broader scheme targeting the region," explaining that Iran is not the only target, and that "many regional parties are aware of this, but they are betting that going along with the United States might push it to amend its decisions and orientations."

Albusaidi believes that the United States "would not have obtained greater concessions from Iran through war than those achieved through negotiation." He noted that recent negotiations had reached advanced stages, including "Iran's pledge not to possess nuclear material that could produce a bomb, with a commitment not to accumulate or store enriched materials, and to convert the existing stockpile into fuel that cannot be reverted to its previous state."

The Omani minister explained that the American and Israeli attacks on Iran "threaten to damage the legal framework that has provided protection and stability to the region's countries for decades."

He also stressed that the Sultanate of Oman "remains firm in its foreign policy principles despite the dangerous transformations the region is witnessing," noting that Muscat "continues to work towards ending the war and returning to the path of diplomacy."

He said that the Sultanate of Oman "has refused to provide any level of support that could contribute to this war or in any other war," stressing that any facilities provided by Oman "must be for defensive purposes and based on explicit international legitimacy from the Security Council."

Also in the context of the war involving Iran, Albusaidi affirmed his country's solidarity with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon, in facing the violations of their sovereignty and attacks on their lands, facilities, and infrastructure.

Regarding the conflict's repercussions, Albusaidi warned that the continuation of the war would lead to a rise in oil prices and disruption of global supply chains, which would negatively impact the international economy.

According to the newspaper, the Omani minister suggested that "the war will stop soon," but he stressed the need to prepare for the worst-case scenarios, while also calling for a reconsideration of the "Gulf defense philosophy."