Kuwaiti emir visits Oman to discuss regional tension

Talks after visits by Rouhani seeking to placate Saudis

MUSCAT // The emir of Kuwait yesterday held talks with Sultan Qaboos of Oman to try to ease tensions between Iran and Arab Gulf countries.

Sheikh Sabah began a three-day visit to Oman after visits by Iranian president Hassan Rouhani to their countries last Wednesday.

“The peaceful solution in the region will not be complete without a consultation with the emir of Kuwait after the sultan’s talk with the Iranian president,” a Kuwaiti delegate to Oman said.

He said talks between Sultan Qaboos and Sheikh Sabah would be far-reaching, “to bridge the gap on political ideologies in the Syrian and Yemen conflicts”.

The delegate said the leaders discussed ways to bridge the gap between Iran and Saudi Arabia so they could “find common ground to work for a feasible and permanent solution”.

Muscat is a traditional regional mediator and has led discreet attempts to resolve conflicts.

Oman maintains good ties with Iran, a key backer of Syrian president Bashar Al Assad. It is also the region’s only Arab monarchy to have kept ties with Damascus.

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Adel Al Jubeir said that his country rejected Iranian calls for talks. Mr Al Jubeir called Tehran the main sponsor of terrorism in the world and a country that wants to “destroy us”. Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries accuse Iran of having proxy militias in Yemen and Syria, and of meddling in Gulf countries’ affairs. They fear a deal struck by world powers for Iran to reduce its nuclear programme for a cut in sanctions could empower Tehran to become more aggressive in the region.

“Oman and Kuwait cannot do it alone and would need the blessing of Saudi Arabia to make any headway,” said Ahmed Al Falahy, a former Omani diplomat.

“The Saudis are key to end this standoff. The rest of the GCC countries will follow if Saudi Arabia decides to do so.”