Sultan Qaboos of Oman will visit Tehran next week, Mehr News Agency reported today. The surprising announcement by Iran’s foreign ministry today adds to the growing speculations that the United States and Iran are using back channels to pave the way for direct negotiations to end the nuclear impasse. Sultan Qaboos has in the past acted as intermediary in the release of a number of Americans and Westerners detained in Iran.
File photo: Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman (Mehr News Agency)
Strange,he looks like a mullah in embroidery.Maybe king Khamenei the first should embellish himself like that :o)
ReplyDeleteQaboos is one the longest surviving petro-sheikhs in the region and is only in power due to Iranian military assistance and support. In the 1970's over 30,000 Iranian marines, airfporce, special forces and naval personnel rotated through Oman and quite a few lost their lives. Iranian military received its baptism of fire in the Dhofari rebellion in the Salalah region as Iran propped up Qaboos who had overthrown his father and faced a Soviet supported insurgency in Dhofar [sponsored by South Yemen.
ReplyDeleteIt was the involvement of the Shah’s Iran in the conflict in Dhofar, the southern province of the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman (renamed in August 1970 Sultanate of Oman, arab. Salṭanat ‘Umān), which became the most crucial and visible demonstration of the Iran’s new stance as the guardian of the Persian Gulf region. The deployment of the Iranian task force in support of Sultan Qābūs bin Sa‘īd al-Būsa‘īdī's anti-insurgency efforts in December 1973 posed the first challenge to Soviet interests and began a new era in the history of Iranian-Omani relations and the Iranian Armed Forces.
Iranians acquitted themselves very well in the conflict, particularly the F-4 and helicopter units that inflicted severe losses on the rebels and turned the tide in Qaboos's favor. The first battle test the Cobras and Huey's faced in real war came in handy during the jange tahmili, not to mention the low altitude bombing runs perfected by the F4's during this conflict.
In short (no pun intended), Qaboos owes his existence to Iran. He is also a US/UK puppet and is used by the Americans to pass diplomatic messages and with the new government in Tehran, he is most likely bringing salutations from his masters.
After the total collapse and infighting in the Arab world, Iran and Turkey are so revolted by the Arabs that they are again getting closer together and Turkey is limiting its support for Wahabbi/Tafiri terrorists sponsored by the Saudis. The Turks and Qataris are both fed up with the Saudis and this has vindicated Iranian position based on solid intelligence and a better understanding of Arab psyche.
ReplyDeleteIn past few years, Turkey and Iran have increasingly vied for influence across the region. In Iraq, Turkey backed the losing electoral bloc in the 2010 elections, and currently shelters fugitive Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi. By contrast, Iran’s clout in Iraq has grown as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has consolidated power. In Palestine, Turkey strengthened its relationship with Hamas, inviting its leader, Khaled Mashaal, to Ankara in February, while Iran has boosted support to Hamas’ smaller and more radical rivals in Gaza, such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Turkey miscalculated the staying power of President Assad in Syria, while Iran with strong presence and excellent intelligence on the ground correctly assessed the Syrian situation and continued with its strong support for Syria. It supported successful Hezbollah foray in Syria and its role in defeating the Takfiris. Iran's patient and strategic view of the region has won kudos in the Muslim world and strengthened ties with Russia and China who respect the Iranian view.
Turkey now has lost the only potential ally in the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and both the Saudis and the Egyptian military are now ranged against Turkey, which has been left with no alternative but to concede to Iran. Turkey started with its infamous "zero problems" with neighbors and is now stuck with major problems with all, except Iran. The Ayatollahs have once again proved to be in tune with Iranian and regional street dynamics. Qatar is also aligning its policies with Iran and looks at Persian power as its protector against the hated Saudis.
Qaboos will not the last Arab head of state heading to Tehran to pay homage to the Iranian masters of the Middle Eastern chess board.
Thank u, well wrote
DeleteJust stating objective reality on the ground in the region. BTW, Erdogan has now done another back-flip and taking a more anti-Zionist line than Iran even.
DeleteTurkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Israel is behind the overthrow of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, whose administration took a number of measures against the Tel Aviv regime.
Erdogan made the remarks on Tuesday during a nationally televised speech.
The Turkish prime minister also criticized certain Islamic countries (Saudi Arabia and UAE), saying they are betraying Egypt by backing the country's military government.
“What is said about Egypt? That democracy is not the ballot box. Who is behind this? Israel is. We have the evidence in our hands,” Erdogan said. “That’s exactly what happened.”
Erdogan’s statement angered Israel, and the United States, and the new military dictatorship in Cairo. They strongly condemned the Turkish prime minister for speaking against the regime in Tel Aviv.
Interestingly, AIPAC and US Zionist groups have sent messages to their Congress puppets to support the coup in Turkey and not cut off aid. The Zionist entity has also sent armored bulldozers, advisers and messages of support to Sisi and the junta.
The Turkish AKP policies are very confused as they also fret about the Turkish military that is a big fan of coups. Erdogan is barely hanging on to power by jailing over 300 senior officers, he can't trust the Turkish airforce and over half the population (just like Egypt) wants an end to Erdogan's pseudo-Islamist rule. The next set of mass demonstrations in Istanbul or Ankara may seal his fate as the restless Generals may repeat the Adnan Menderes fate. The last man standing and laughing will be President Assad of Syria.