Israeli news website "Israel" Hayom claimed Thursday that progress has been made in recent days between the Israeli occupation and Oman regarding talks to open the Sultanate's airspace to Israeli airlines.

The newspaper said the issue was discussed last week between a high-ranking Israeli official and his Omani counterparts, noting that it appears that talks took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

"Israel" Hayom pointed out that it is not absolutely clear whether the talks took place directly between Israeli and Omani officials or through Emirati and Saudi mediation.

Oman refuses to open its airspace to Israeli flights

In mid-August, Israeli media reported that "the Sultanate of Oman refused to open its airspace to Israeli flights," due to "Iranian pressure".

"Israel" Hayom said, "Oman refuses to open its airspace to Israeli travel planes amid intense Iranian pressure."

The newspaper added, "What this means so far is that it is not possible to benefit from opening the Saudi airspace to Israeli aircraft to shorten the flight time to the Far East."

It is worth noting that Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Omani counterpart Badr Al-Busaidi had discussed in a phone call "bilateral relations, regional and world issues, and the Vienna nuclear negotiations. "

Last May, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that the stances of Iran and the Sultanate of Oman were "noticeably consistent on many issues," noting that "good relations between Iran and Oman enhance regional cooperation."

Last year, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi stressed his country's support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and clarified that it supports "the realization of a just, comprehensive and lasting peace on the basis of a two-state solution."

Simultaneously, Al-Busaidi denied the possibility of Oman being the third Gulf country, after the UAE and Bahrain, to normalize its relations with "Israel".

"Israel" Hayom had reported that it "received internal assurances that the soldiers of the Israeli occupation forces will be allowed to fly over Saudi Arabia."

In July, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) in Saudi Arabia announced that the Kingdom was opening its airspace for all civil air carriers for overflying, including Israeli carriers.