Rubio speaks with Oman’s foreign minister on easing regional tensions

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi discussed by phone the latest developments in the region, including efforts to ease tensions, Oman’s official news agency announced.

According to the announcement, at the center of the call were efforts to reduce tensions in the region, at a time when the U.S.–Iran war and the escalation in Yemen have put the main maritime energy routes under heavy pressure.

Oman has traditionally played the role of mediator in the region; the planned meeting in Oman between Iran and the Gulf states on the future of the Strait of Hormuz was recently postponed, making Omani diplomacy even more central to efforts to avoid further escalation.

The Rubio–Al Busaidi call comes after a wave of diplomatic contacts, including the meeting of East African foreign ministers in Djibouti on the Red Sea crisis and the talks of Egyptian President Sisi with the Saudi crown prince in Cairo.

Source: Al Jazeera