▲ Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi
A ministerial-level meeting between Iran, Iraq, and Gulf nations, which was scheduled to be held in the southern Omani city of Salalah today (September 14) local time to discuss issues including the Strait of Hormuz, has been postponed at the last minute.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter) at around 11:00 p.m. on the 13th, "In order to reach a consensus, the regional meeting scheduled to be held in Salalah tomorrow has been postponed."
Minister Albusaidi added, "We will continue our efforts to promote dialogue that supports regional stability and sustained cooperation."
However, he did not mention when the meeting would be rescheduled.
AFP reported that Iran's Fars News Agency stated that the decision to postpone the meeting was made jointly by the governments of Iran and Oman.
Citing an Iranian Foreign Ministry official, Fars reported that the meeting was postponed at the request of certain regional countries.
Previously, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced its plan for the meeting with Gulf nations in a statement on the 11th, stating, "We plan to discuss regional issues and exchange views on the results of negotiations between Iran and Oman regarding the designation of safe shipping routes for commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz."
However, the following day, Bahrain declared its boycott, citing Iran's attacks on infrastructure in the Gulf region and stating, "We will not participate as a party in any meeting involving Iran until diplomatic relations with Iran are restored."
Bloomberg also reported, citing recent attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, that Saudi Arabia's attendance was uncertain.
Earlier that day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated in an interview with the UK-based Arab media outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed (English edition The New Arab) that seven countries, including Gulf nations excluding Bahrain, would attend the meeting, publicly affirming that the gathering would take place.
Minister Araghchi had said that the most important and virtually sole agenda item of the meeting would be "the issue of new maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz," and that he planned to explain the details of the agreement between Iran and Oman on opening new routes in the Strait of Hormuz to the participating countries.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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