This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/iran-blog/2013/aug/30/iran-oman-nuclear-negotiations
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Oman sultan's Iran visit sparks hopes of progress in nuclear standoff | Oman sultan's Iran visit sparks hopes of progress in nuclear standoff |
| (21 days later) | |
| The first visit by a foreign leader to Iran since Hassan Rouhani assumed the presidency came earlier this week with the arrival of Oman's sultan, Qaboos bin Said Al Said. Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's new foreign minister, officially greeted Sultan Qaboos at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport on Sunday, and then saw him off personally on Tuesday. | The first visit by a foreign leader to Iran since Hassan Rouhani assumed the presidency came earlier this week with the arrival of Oman's sultan, Qaboos bin Said Al Said. Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's new foreign minister, officially greeted Sultan Qaboos at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport on Sunday, and then saw him off personally on Tuesday. |
| While the sultanate, which lies across the Gulf of Oman from Iran, has limited geopolitical importance, its ruler's trip received heavy coverage in the Iranian media – a level of attention no doubt amplified by the fact that it came amid the dog days of the Tehran summer. Stories spread that there was a secret agenda to his meetings with Iranian officials, involving claims that he came to convey messages from the United States and then to relay Iran's response to White House officials. | While the sultanate, which lies across the Gulf of Oman from Iran, has limited geopolitical importance, its ruler's trip received heavy coverage in the Iranian media – a level of attention no doubt amplified by the fact that it came amid the dog days of the Tehran summer. Stories spread that there was a secret agenda to his meetings with Iranian officials, involving claims that he came to convey messages from the United States and then to relay Iran's response to White House officials. |
| According to the principlist website Asr-e Iran, Qaboos is supposed to set the stage for indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States. Iranian media outlets, before and after the sultan's visit, have claimed that he has received provisional US approval for his proposals. | According to the principlist website Asr-e Iran, Qaboos is supposed to set the stage for indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States. Iranian media outlets, before and after the sultan's visit, have claimed that he has received provisional US approval for his proposals. |
| The daily Khorasan newspaper reported that Qaboos carried a proposition under which Iran would be readmitted to the Swift international money transfer system in exchange for a reduction in its nuclear enrichment activities. For almost a year and a half, Iranian banks have been unable to execute most international financial transactions due to the country's exclusion from Swift, and the state has been blocked from accessing the estimated 60 to 80 billion dollars it has on deposit in various overseas banks. | The daily Khorasan newspaper reported that Qaboos carried a proposition under which Iran would be readmitted to the Swift international money transfer system in exchange for a reduction in its nuclear enrichment activities. For almost a year and a half, Iranian banks have been unable to execute most international financial transactions due to the country's exclusion from Swift, and the state has been blocked from accessing the estimated 60 to 80 billion dollars it has on deposit in various overseas banks. |
| On Tuesday, a foreign desk correspondent at one of Tehran's reformist dailies said he believed the reports were credible, "Otherwise why would Rouhani lavish his 'first foreign dignitary to visit' honor on Sultan Qaboos? And don't forget that Zarif both greeted him and escorted him off. He is the person in charge of Iran's nuclear program." | On Tuesday, a foreign desk correspondent at one of Tehran's reformist dailies said he believed the reports were credible, "Otherwise why would Rouhani lavish his 'first foreign dignitary to visit' honor on Sultan Qaboos? And don't forget that Zarif both greeted him and escorted him off. He is the person in charge of Iran's nuclear program." |
| The reformist correspondent pointed out a breaking news item from the Iranian Labor News Agency, reporting that Zarif has confirmed that the "guesses" made by the media have been largely correct and that Qaboos had traveled to Tehran in the role of a mediator carrying communications. "During his visit to Iran, the sultan of Oman described his own takes on the positions of US officials and he will convey our position to them," the foreign minister was quoted as saying. "As I had expressed before, as Iran and the US don't have a direct link, when our friends travel to Iran, the usually explicate their takes on the positions of US officials and their tendencies." | The reformist correspondent pointed out a breaking news item from the Iranian Labor News Agency, reporting that Zarif has confirmed that the "guesses" made by the media have been largely correct and that Qaboos had traveled to Tehran in the role of a mediator carrying communications. "During his visit to Iran, the sultan of Oman described his own takes on the positions of US officials and he will convey our position to them," the foreign minister was quoted as saying. "As I had expressed before, as Iran and the US don't have a direct link, when our friends travel to Iran, the usually explicate their takes on the positions of US officials and their tendencies." |
| The reporter also cautioned, however, "If you wish to call these 'exchanging messages,' then feel free to do so. I wouldn't call it that as that expression has a specific meaning in foreign relations." | The reporter also cautioned, however, "If you wish to call these 'exchanging messages,' then feel free to do so. I wouldn't call it that as that expression has a specific meaning in foreign relations." |
| Zarif's statement marks a major shift in how the Foreign Ministry has addressed Qaboos's visit. In the days leading up to his arrival, outgoing ministry spokesman Abbas Iraqchi regularly dismissed the suggestion that the Omani ruler was carrying a message for Tehran as "spinning tales . . . attempts by the foreign media to foul the positive climate that has appeared from the change of government. Regrettably, some domestic media get trapped in such webs." On Thursday, it was announced that Iraqchi would be replaced by career diplomat Marzieh Afkham, the first woman to serve as Foreign Ministry spokeswoman. | Zarif's statement marks a major shift in how the Foreign Ministry has addressed Qaboos's visit. In the days leading up to his arrival, outgoing ministry spokesman Abbas Iraqchi regularly dismissed the suggestion that the Omani ruler was carrying a message for Tehran as "spinning tales . . . attempts by the foreign media to foul the positive climate that has appeared from the change of government. Regrettably, some domestic media get trapped in such webs." On Thursday, it was announced that Iraqchi would be replaced by career diplomat Marzieh Afkham, the first woman to serve as Foreign Ministry spokeswoman. |
| A Tehran-based Green Movement activist had mixed feelings about the utility of such mediated exchanges between Iran and the United States. "Such mediations lead nowhere, existentially," he said. "The enmity and grievances harbored by each side toward the other can only be solved and resolved through hours of intensive labour at the negotiation table. But Sultan Qaboos's conciliations are necessary. He knows his role well. He had done some very good work in the past." | A Tehran-based Green Movement activist had mixed feelings about the utility of such mediated exchanges between Iran and the United States. "Such mediations lead nowhere, existentially," he said. "The enmity and grievances harbored by each side toward the other can only be solved and resolved through hours of intensive labour at the negotiation table. But Sultan Qaboos's conciliations are necessary. He knows his role well. He had done some very good work in the past." |
| In an interview with the website Iranian Diplomacy, Siavash Zargar Yaqobi, former ambassador to Oman and India, expressed a hopeful outlook with less ambivalence. "This trip will certainly have a very positive effect in reducing tensions in Iran's relationship with the west and especially the US," he said. "Oman's history of mediation in Iran's issues and difficulties with the west shows that Oman has been able to play a positive role in this regards and we can probably expect that this trip will also be effective in this area." | In an interview with the website Iranian Diplomacy, Siavash Zargar Yaqobi, former ambassador to Oman and India, expressed a hopeful outlook with less ambivalence. "This trip will certainly have a very positive effect in reducing tensions in Iran's relationship with the west and especially the US," he said. "Oman's history of mediation in Iran's issues and difficulties with the west shows that Oman has been able to play a positive role in this regards and we can probably expect that this trip will also be effective in this area." |
| When tensions rose between the Ahmadinejad and Blair governments in late March 2007 over the arrest of British marines in Iran's Persian Gulf waters, Oman played a significant role in arranging for their release. Qaboos also played a central role in negotiating the return home of the three US hikers who were detained on espionage charges in the summer of 2009. In the 1980s, worked hard to arbitrate peace between Iran and Iraq during their eight-year-long war. | When tensions rose between the Ahmadinejad and Blair governments in late March 2007 over the arrest of British marines in Iran's Persian Gulf waters, Oman played a significant role in arranging for their release. Qaboos also played a central role in negotiating the return home of the three US hikers who were detained on espionage charges in the summer of 2009. In the 1980s, worked hard to arbitrate peace between Iran and Iraq during their eight-year-long war. |
| Heshmat, a 60-year-old carpet merchant in south-central Tehran, reflected one popular take on Qaboos's trip. "May God bless the father of this Sultan so-and-so should he be able to reconcile these two," he told Tehran Bureau. "God as witness, they are quibbling over nothing and nonsense. Iran needs the US; so does the US need Iran. Iran should back down, and the US too, should back down. Someone should act as the wise man and undo this knot. With these sanctions, they've got our fathers rolling in their graves. God believe me, nobody wants to build a bomb. Make up and get on with your lives. Isn't it a waste that two nations who only 30 years ago were like brothers go after each other's throats like this?" | Heshmat, a 60-year-old carpet merchant in south-central Tehran, reflected one popular take on Qaboos's trip. "May God bless the father of this Sultan so-and-so should he be able to reconcile these two," he told Tehran Bureau. "God as witness, they are quibbling over nothing and nonsense. Iran needs the US; so does the US need Iran. Iran should back down, and the US too, should back down. Someone should act as the wise man and undo this knot. With these sanctions, they've got our fathers rolling in their graves. God believe me, nobody wants to build a bomb. Make up and get on with your lives. Isn't it a waste that two nations who only 30 years ago were like brothers go after each other's throats like this?" |
| A few steps up the street from the carpet shop, Hossein, who organises Basij militia activities at a mosque in the area, argued that Iran is in no need of a mediator. Referring to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by one of his common epithets, the Farsi for "sir," Hossein said, "Either Agha wants negotiation between them or he doesn't. If he wants, he will say so, clear and direct. If he doesn't, then there is no need for shuttling messages." | A few steps up the street from the carpet shop, Hossein, who organises Basij militia activities at a mosque in the area, argued that Iran is in no need of a mediator. Referring to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by one of his common epithets, the Farsi for "sir," Hossein said, "Either Agha wants negotiation between them or he doesn't. If he wants, he will say so, clear and direct. If he doesn't, then there is no need for shuttling messages." |
| Tehran Bureau's Nuclear Watch series monitors the way the Iranian media reports the country's nuclear programme | Tehran Bureau's Nuclear Watch series monitors the way the Iranian media reports the country's nuclear programme |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |
Previous version
1
Next version