Tehran, Muscat sign 12 MoUs during Raisi's visit

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Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Oman on Monday on a visit to upgrade the level of political and economic ties between the two countries. During the visit, a string of trade deals were signed

Raisi, on his second Gulf visit since taking office in August, was greeted by Sultan Haitham bin Tareq at the airport and received a 21-gun salute at the royal palace, an Omani statement said.

The Iranian President's one-day trip comes at a time when renewed talks on restoring the 2015 nuclear deal are at a deadlock. Oman played a mediating role between Tehran and Washington in the build-up to the original agreement.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian - who is accompanying Raisi on his trip - and Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi signed 12 memoranda of understanding, including in the fields of oil and gas, transport, education, trade, and investment, reported the official Oman News Agency.

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— وكالة الأنباء العمانية (@OmanNewsAgency) May 23, 2022

"Trade exchanges between the two countries of Oman and Iran will improve definitely," Raisi affirmed before departure, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA.

"Both countries are determined to upgrade the level of political and economic ties," he added.

IRNA said a delegation of 50 Iranian businessmen traveled to Oman last week, adding that Iranian Minister of Road and Urban Development Rostam Qasemi has announced plans for a joint shipping line and tourist flights.

Oman is also seeking to import gas from Iran by building an offshore pipeline between the two countries that are discussing the development of joint gas fields offshore.

It is worth noting that the sultanate endured economic pain during the pandemic, with its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) dropping 6.4% in 2020 and government debt soaring.