An Iranian man reads a newspaper on a Tehran street on April 12, 2025, with the front page featuring the indirect Iran-US talks in Oman on the same day. (Photo by AFP)
Regional countries have welcomed the first round of high-stakes negotiations between the Iranian and American delegations in the Omani capital of Muscat over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.
Jassim Mohammed al-Budaiwi, the secretary-general of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), praised the Sultanate of Oman’s move to host Tehran-Washington talks as a “wise approach.”
“This hosting reflects Oman’s wise approach in promoting dialogue and building bridges of understanding between countries, as well as its constant and ongoing commitment to supporting and enhancing security and stability in the region,” Budaiwi said in a statement published on the Council’s website.
Budaiwi underlined that the GCC member states “always seek, through their close and solid relations with other countries, to find peaceful solutions to conflicts, present initiatives that serve the interests of the peoples of the region and the world, and exert all efforts to promote stability and regional and international peace and security.”
The GCC chief also expressed hope that the constructive talks will yield positive results and can contribute to opening new horizons for cooperation between Iran and the United States, serving security and stability in the region.
The indirect talks, held between Iran and the United States in Muscat on Saturday, were spearheaded by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the US’s regional envoy, Steve Witkoff, with Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi serving as the mediator.
The two sides agreed after “about four rounds of exchanges of messages” that took place in a “calm and very respectful environment” to reconvene next Saturday as both hailed the talks as “constructive.”
Araghchi underlined earlier in the day that Iran was giving diplomacy a sincere opportunity to address nuclear issues and the lifting of the sanctions while noting that the Islamic Republic did not seek prolonged negotiations.
‘Dialogue as a means of resolving disputes’
Saudi Arabia praised the Sultanate of Oman’s hosting of the Iranian-American talks, affirming the kingdom’s support for such efforts and for adopting dialogue as a means of resolving all regional and international disputes.
In a statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Riyadh expressed its hope that the outcomes of the Tehran-Washington negotiations will support joint action to enhance security, stability, and peace in the region and the world.
‘Belief in the path of dialogue’
Kuwait welcomed Muscat’s hosting of the talks, expressing hope that the move would contribute to promoting peace, security, and stability in the region.
In a statement, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs lauded the mediation as a positive step, affirming its support and belief in the path of dialogue and diplomatic solutions to resolve contentious issues and disputes at the regional and international levels.
The ministry also commended “the good offices and diplomatic efforts undertaken by the Sultanate of Oman in this regard.”
‘Positive spirit’ prevailing in the talks
The Qatari Foreign Ministry welcomed the talks between the United States and Iran in Muscat, commending the positive spirit that prevailed and the statements made by both sides regarding the negotiations.
The ministry also hailed the role played by the Sultanate of Oman, affirming Doha’s full support for the diplomatic approach to resolving all outstanding issues between the United States and Iran within the framework of its firm belief in the importance of consolidating security and peace, and promoting stability, peace, and development at the regional and international levels.
Diplomacy ‘best way to resolve disputes’
The Iraqi Foreign Ministry expressed in a statement Baghdad’s welcome to the start of the Tehran-Washington talks in the Omani capital.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Republic of Iraq’s welcome to the start of the Iranian-American talks in the Sultanate of Oman and appreciates the positive indicators resulting from the first round of dialogue between the two sides,” The statement said.
“The Ministry affirms Iraq’s firm position in support of diplomacy and negotiated solutions as the best way to resolve disputes and enhance stability at the regional and international levels.”
The statement added that, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expresses its hope that these talks will lead to positive results in the near future, contributing to easing tensions and building trust between the two sides, in the interest of the peoples of the region and enhancing security and peace.”
Bahrain appreciates Muscat’s mediation
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain welcomed the Sultanate of Oman’s hosting of the high-level talks and expressed Manama’s appreciation for Oman’s diplomatic efforts.
In a statement, the ministry affirmed Bahrain’s support for initiatives aimed at resolving differences and disputes through peaceful means, voicing optimism that the move “will contribute to consolidating security, stability, and peace at the regional and international levels.”
Egypt lauds ‘vital’ role of Oman
Egypt praised as “constructive and vital” role of the Sultanate of Oman’s hosting of the first round of indirect talks between the United States and Iran on Saturday evening.
“The Arab Republic of Egypt welcomes the Sultanate of Oman’s hosting of the first round of negotiations between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“It appreciates the Sultanate’s constructive, vital, and ongoing role in supporting political and peaceful solutions in light of the grave challenges facing the region and working to avert the specter of all-out war from the region,” it added.
The ministry underscored Cairo’s “full support for the sincere Omani efforts and all efforts aimed at reaching political solutions through dialogue, an approach Egypt has long advocated, given its full conviction that there are no military solutions to the crises raging in the region and that the policy of escalation and tension only exacerbates the situation.”
Egypt expressed its appreciation for “the cooperative approach demonstrated by the American and Iranian sides to reach a political settlement by promoting dialogue and negotiation, allowing for compromises that contribute to reducing tensions in the region.”
Cairo also voiced its aspiration “for the two parties to reach an agreement that takes into account the concerns and interests of both sides, and ensures security and stability for the neighboring countries” in the Persian Gulf region.
The ministry also hoped that the negotiations “will lead to the inauguration of a new phase that will contribute to achieving calm and reducing tensions in the region in general and in the Gaza Strip in particular, to reach a calm that will lead to a sustainable ceasefire and the reconstruction of the Strip with the presence of Palestinians on their land, and to launch a serious and credible political process that will lead to the embodiment of the Palestinian state …and end of the suffering of the Palestinian people, which has extended for more than seven decades.”
