Thursday 31 / July / 2025
In 2009, three U.S. hikers were detained in Iran on charges of espionage after allegedly crossing an unmarked border during a hike near the Iran-Iraq border in northern Iraq. Their release became a pivotal moment in initiating negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.
After the first hiker, Sarah Shourd, was released, U.S. officials visited Oman in December 2010 to explore whether the late Sultan Qaboos could help facilitate talks between the two nations. Shortly thereafter, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with the late Sultan, and President Obama conveyed a request for his assistance in engaging Iran. In 2011, the remaining two hikers, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, were also released—on both occasions, the Americans were transported from Iran to Oman.
The secret talks that ultimately led to the Iran nuclear deal involved direct engagement at the highest levels of leadership. In a 2015 speech, Ayatollah Khamenei revealed that Sultan Qaboos had acted as an intermediary after the U.S. President reached out to him to help resolve the nuclear issue and lift sanctions. Despite initial Iranian skepticism, Sultan Qaboos asked them to reconsider, and his trusted counsel helped lay the foundation for renewed U.S.-Iranian dialogue.
Oman’s diplomacy was once again brought into focus. Its consistent efforts had earned it the credibility to act as a trusted intermediary between two adversaries — a status built over decades of sincere and principled engagement in pursuit of regional and global peace.
That trust led to the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015 — a major diplomatic breakthrough between Iran and the West. But it was short-lived. In 2018, President Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal and re-imposed sanctions. Now, more than a decade after Oman helped initiate those talks, and during President Trump’s second term, the Sultanate once again served as an intermediary between the two sides.
The first round of renewed talks took place on April 12, 2025, in Muscat. A White House statement described the discussions as “very positive and constructive,” thanking Oman for its support and noting that Special Envoy Witkoff conveyed President Trump’s instructions to resolve differences “through dialogue and diplomacy, if that is possible.”
Since April, five rounds of U.S.–Iran nuclear talks have taken place between Muscat and Rome. The sixth round was scheduled for June 15 in Muscat, but Iran subsequently withdrew after Israeli attacks on Iranian territory began on June 13.
President Trump later confirmed that the U.S. was aware of the planned Israeli attacks. He remarked that the day of the attacks marked Day 61 — just one day after the expiration of a 60-day ultimatum given to Iran to accept the U.S.-proposed framework. Describing the attacks as “very successful,” the President added that Iran should have accepted the deal while there was still time. Iranian officials, however, had made it clear from the start that negotiations could not continue under pressure.
These attacks underscore a familiar pattern: unilateral actions that undermine diplomatic efforts. Even as talks were underway, Israel targeted the very subject of those discussions – with the knowledge of the U.S., a direct party in these talks. This not only jeopardized the integrity of the negotiations but also signaled a disregard for the value of diplomacy, as opposed to military attacks that result in the death of innocents. The implicit message — that failure to meet a deadline could lead to deadly consequences — represents a disturbing distortion of what diplomacy is meant to achieve.
Israel’s connection to the nuclear negotiations is rooted in its close alignment with U.S. foreign policy. This became especially evident in May 2023, when the current U.S. Ambassador to Oman stated during a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: “I will encourage Oman to build on its announcement permitting Israeli civilian overflights through its airspace by taking additional steps, including consideration of full normalization with Israel.” While ambassadors are expected to strengthen bilateral ties between their countries and the countries to which they are assigned, this position appeared to prioritize the interests of a third party — Israel — overlooking Oman’s avowed principles in this case, which are non-negotiable.
As with its diplomatic outreach to Iran, the United States – along with other countries – has also turned to the Sultanate’s good offices to help secure the release of its citizens in other countries. Shane Bauer, one of the three hikers detained in 2009, later wrote that Oman was ‘the country most responsible for our eventual release.’ The Sultanate has also played a key role in facilitating the release of American detainees in Yemen on multiple occasions.
From these examples, it is evident that Oman has a track record — built over decades — of being an “honest broker,” facilitating talks and mediating disputes when requested. Despite the various challenges, the Sultanate has consistently demonstrated its resolve to assist its friends whenever possible and to find viable solutions to conflicts through patient and respectful dialogue.
Oman is proud of its history of friendship with the United States, first formalized almost two hundred years ago by a Treaty of Amity and Commerce. While the Sultanate seeks to strengthen its strategic relationship with the U.S. and all its friends, the undermining of sovereignty and diplomacy can only sabotage the prospects for real peace.
Oman offers a model for diplomacy rooted in integrity — not pressure, not coercion, but conviction. As the Sultanate strives toward making the world a better place, where all can live in peace and security, a nation’s steadfast commitment to its moral principles in trying times is absolutely vital for the world’s well-being. And today, Oman’s commitment to peace, grounded in justice, respect for sovereignty, and self-determination, is more essential to the world than ever.
