Muscat/Tehran, Sept 2026 : A planned meeting between Iran and the Gulf countries in Oman has been postponed, with authorities citing the need to maintain consensus among all parties and ensure proper coordination for the talks.
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi announced on Sunday that the regional meeting scheduled to be held in the Omani city of Salalah on Monday had been deferred. In a post on social media platform X, Al Busaidi said the decision was taken “in the interest of maintaining agreement among all parties”.
He reaffirmed Oman’s commitment to dialogue aimed at promoting stability and long-term cooperation in the region.
The postponement was also confirmed by Mohammad Ali Bak, Director General of the Gulf Affairs Department at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, in an interview with Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA. Bak said the meeting had been postponed to another date following requests from some regional countries and a joint decision by Iran and Oman.
According to the Iranian official, Tehran remains in continuous discussions with Muscat to determine an appropriate date for the meeting and to ensure that all necessary preparations and coordination are completed.
The proposed meeting had assumed significance amid ongoing regional diplomatic efforts, particularly discussions concerning maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically important waterways.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei had said on Friday that a meeting of foreign ministers from the Gulf littoral states was scheduled to take place in Oman on Monday. Regional issues were expected to be discussed, including negotiations between Iran and Oman over arrangements for establishing safe maritime routes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Baghaei had said that, besides the foreign ministers of the Gulf countries, the foreign ministers of Iran and Iraq were also expected to participate.
The postponement comes as regional governments continue efforts to maintain communication and prevent further tensions in the strategically sensitive Gulf region.
Meanwhile, Iraq announced on Sunday that it had begun the phased reopening of three major border crossings with neighbouring Iran. The decision followed an administrative and technical review aimed at strengthening security arrangements and improving cross-border movement.
Iraq’s Security Media Cell (SMC) said in a statement that the decision had been taken under the instructions of Prime Minister Ali al-Jaidi. As part of the move, organisational and technical arrangements at the Shalamcheh, Mandali and Al-Sheeb border crossings have been improved.
According to the announced schedule, passenger movement through the Al-Sheeb and Shalamcheh crossings resumed at 6 a.m. on Sunday. Commercial activities at Shalamcheh will resume from Monday, while trade at Mandali will restart on Tuesday and commercial movement at Al-Sheeb will resume on Thursday.
The SMC also clarified that passenger and commercial movement with Iran through the Zurbatiyah and Al-Munthiriya border crossings continues as normal. Both crossings are operating around the clock.
The reopening of the border points is expected to facilitate movement between Iraq and Iran while improving the functioning of trade routes between the two neighbouring countries.
The postponement of the Salalah meeting means that regional foreign ministers will have to wait for a fresh date to discuss maritime security, regional developments and other issues affecting the Gulf. Iran and Oman are expected to continue consultations in the meantime to finalise arrangements for the next round of talks.
Oman, which has traditionally played a role in facilitating regional dialogue, has reiterated its commitment to maintaining communication between the concerned parties and supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening stability and long-term cooperation in the region.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
