Muscat: The Iranian ambassador to Oman, Ali Akbar Sibeveh, has
described the relations between his country and Oman as “excellent”
adding that they are not tainted by any impurity, whether on the
political, commercial or economic levels.
With regard to tourist visas between the two countries, Sibeveh said that Iran and Oman are working to waive visas for the past two years and expect soon to reach an agreement to allow the entry of both countries’ nationals without visas.
Commenting on growing ties between the sultanate and the Islamic
Republic, he said that the two countries were working on a visa waiver
program, and revealed the growing bilateral trade between the two.
Sibeveh added that Iranian nuclear negotiations world powers only
succeeded due to the wisdom and mediation of Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed.
“His Majesty... knows how to stabilise and handle things in this
volatile region”, said the Iranian ambassador.
He was speaking at a press meeting in the Iranian embassay on Monday prior to the opening of an Iranian-Omani trade exhibition.
Ali Akbar Sibeveh
With regard to tourist visas between the two countries, Sibeveh said that Iran and Oman are working to waive visas for the past two years and expect soon to reach an agreement to allow the entry of both countries’ nationals without visas.
Sibeveh pointed out the trade exchange between Oman and Iran jumped
during the last two years to one billion dollars and that the volume of
Iranian investments in Sohar and Duqm of Oman stood at four billion
dollars.
Moreover, he said that a gas pipeline agreement between the two
countries will be implemented soon since the technical committees
completed their preliminary work.
The pipeline will provide Oman with about 10 billion cubic metres of
gas annually, and it will cost one billion dollars to build. Sibeveh
commented that the final agreement on the project came during the
sultan’s to Iran last year.
Sibeveh explained that $1.5 billion Iranian hospital will be built in
Barka province by the middle of 2017. The new hospital, on an area of
60,000 square metres, will be provided with the latest equipments, 400
beds, 500 Omani medical staff as well as a hotel for the families of the
patients.
The largest five days exhibition that Iran has held in the GCC opened
on Tuesday in Muscat. Sibeveh affirmed that there are 100 Iranian
companies involved in the exhibition, which came from all provinces of
Iran, under the supervision of the ministries of trade and industry in
both countries.
The Iranian ambassador added that such exhibition is unique for being
includes for the first time four Iranian made cars as well as all the
Omani industries, nanotechnology, medical devices and a special section
for Omani and Iranian carpets. Sibeveh further added that Oman will be
an important station for re-export to Asian countries and Yemen as well
as central and eastern Africa because of its strategic weight. Duqm port
will be eligible in the next few years to become the number one port in
the Gulf, especially with the presence of the railway lines.
For the maritime agreement, Sibeveh said both countries will sign in
the next few months that will conduct maritime route between the two
countries as well as the customs agreement.
