HM Sultan Qaboos deliberates on the situation in the region

02 February 2012

Peaceful solutions preferred -

Calls for talks between US, Iran - No Strait of Hormuz blockade

- No one in the world can live on his own in today’s world

- No viable alternative to resuming talks with Palestinians

- Expresses optimism that Yemen will now become stable

- Damascus urged to accept Arab League peace initiative

MUSCAT — His Majesty Sultan Qaboos says that Iran is seriously seeking a way out of American-led sanctions over its nuclear programme and urges the United States to re-engage Tehran on a variety of issues, not just its nuclear programme.

“No one in the world can live on his own in today’s world,” His Majesty said, referring to Iran.

“They don’t want to bring upon themselves more trouble. They know they are mistrusted and must convince the world of their peaceful intentions.”

Specifically, His Majesty added, Iran understands that this means working more closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency to increase international nuclear inspections of its nuclear programme and returning to talks with the US and key Security Council members, Britain, France, Russia, China, as well as Germany, known as the P-5 plus 1. Last Thursday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proposed such talks.

His Majesty the Sultan urged President Obama to take Iran up on its offer. “The United States and Iran should sit together and talk,” he said.

Fox News noted that His Majesty’s conviction that Iran’s alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons can and must be resolved peacefully was among several notes of optimism he struck when interviewed by Juidth Miller of Fox News at Hisn Ash’shumookh Castle recently.

He disclosed that Oman, at America’s “hint” for assistance, had recently conveyed to the highest levels of the Iranian government a warning about the adverse potential consequences of closing the Strait of Hormuz.

He added that he believes the message was clearly received.

"No one will block the Strait of Hormuz," His Majesty asserted.

Iran, he added, may also be preparing to adopt unspecified reforms.

“They now want to persuade the rest of the world that while they are seeking a nuclear capability — like Japan — they are not seeking weapons per se,” he said. He claims to believe them.

Asked about reports that Israel was allegedly weighing a military strike to degrade and delay Iran’s nuclear programme, His Majesty the Sultan replied that while he understood that “Israel must be looking at all the options and keeping all of them open,” he hoped that the situation would not “deteriorate to the point that Israel feels compelled to take drastic measures.”

“Inshallah it will not happen,” His Majesty stressed. But were Israel to strike, “God forbid,” he added, all parties would have to “do what you can to avoid an escalation.”

“Peaceful solutions are always preferred,” he said.

For Israel, especially, His Majesty said, there was no viable alternative to resuming serious talks with the Palestinians. “These two peoples must find a way to live together,” he said.

His Majesty the Sultan expressed optimism about Yemen. He said he believed that Yemen would stabilise now that Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh had agreed to leave Yemen, at least temporarily.

“He realised that he should be part of the solution, not the problem,” His Majesty said.

With respect to Egypt, which just marked the one-year anniversary of the uprising, His Majesty the Sultan said “No one party or group should impose its will.”

They all need to work together,” he added.

As for Syria, His Majesty the Sultan urged Damascus to accept the Arab League’s initiative.