Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) meets with the spokesman and chief negotiator for Yemen’s Houthis Mohammad Abdelsalam in Muscat, the capital of Oman, on October 14, 2024. Photo courtesy: AFP
Iran on Monday (Oct 14, 2024) cited the crisis in the Middle East and said it currently sees “no basis” for its indirect talks with the United States through mediator Oman.
In June, Tehran said it had held indirect talks with Washington through Muscat, even though the two countries have no diplomatic relations.
American news website Axios It was reported at the time that officials from Iran and the United States held indirect talks on “how to avoid escalating regional attacks” in Oman.
On Monday (October 14, 2024), Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited the Gulf sultanate as part of a regional tour in which he met allies after Israel vowed to retaliate against Tehran’s recent missile attack. And met with Middle East powers.
“At the moment, we do not see any basis for this dialogue until we overcome the current crisis,” Mr Araghchi told reporters in Muscat.
The talks were put on hold “due to the specific circumstances of the region”, he said.
Iran fired 200 missiles at Israel on October 1 It was said to be retaliation for the killing of Tehran-aligned militant leaders in the region and a general in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
Israel has vowed to respond.
Oman has long mediated between Iran and the United States, which severed ties after the 1979 Islamic revolution.
In Muscat, Araghchi met Mohammed Abdel Salam, a senior official in the Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Houthis, along with Hezbollah, Hamas and others, are part of the so-called axis of resistance of Iran-backed, anti-Israel armed groups.
The United States is a close ally of Israel and is by far its largest provider of military aid.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai said Araghchi also spoke with his Omani counterpart Badr Albusaidi on developments in Lebanon and Gaza and called for an “immediate end” to the conflict.
Oman’s Foreign Ministry said the two officials agreed to “use diplomacy as an essential tool to resolve disputes and conflicts” in the region.
While in Oman, Mr Araghchi spoke by phone with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
Mr Araghchi called US obstruction of the UN Security Council regarding the wars in Lebanon and Gaza “a disaster” during the call.
China is a permanent member of the Council.
Before arriving in Oman, Mr Araghchi was in Baghdad for talks with Iraqi officials.
Last week, he visited Qatar and Saudi Arabia where talks mainly revolved around establishing a ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza as well as ways to stop the conflict.
published – October 14, 2024 09:51 PM IST