Wednesday 21 / May / 2025
Muscat: “Even at a time of horrific destruction, there is a renewed appetite for dialogue,” Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi told an audience at the Tehran Dialogue Forum.
Speaking at the invitation of Iran’s Foreign Minister Dr Sayyid Abbas Araghchi, Sayyid Badr celebrated Oman’s longstanding partnership with Iran, reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to inclusive engagement, and expressed appreciation “for the candour, precision, and flexibility” of Iran’s contributions to regional and international dialogue.
Sayyid Badr's remarks then focussed on Palestine. Sayyid Badr called for urgent and sustained international dialogue to confront the “violence and genocide that the Palestinian people continue to endure”.
According to the Omani foreign minister, the Palestinians have not had a “credible and trustworthy partner for dialogue" since the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995.
He criticised successive Israeli governments for their persistent rejection of constructive engagement and continued violations of international law.
A reluctance to seize opportunities for genuine dialogue were, Sayyid Badr said, at the core of the international community’s failure to exert meaningful pressure on Israel and prevent the current tragedy. “Many actors who could have supported or enabled dialogue chose instead to impose impossible conditions by pre-deciding who was or was not worthy of engagement”. Despite the catastrophic situation in Palestine, the Omani Foreign Minister expressed optimism.
He cited recent signs of a pragmatic US approach, with the establishment of direct dialogue between the US and Hamas, and noted that a senior Hamas official was confident that US President Donald Trump “has the ability and the will” to bring about peace.
“Even at a time of horrific destruction, there is a renewed appetite for dialogue. A dialogue we all recognise as essential, even if Tel Aviv continues to try to avoid it by escalating militarily on multiple fronts,” Sayyid Badr said.
His address demonstrated Oman’s belief that dialogue, especially between those holding opposing views, is the only route to peace. “Dialogue is not easy. I understand why some seek to avoid it” he said. But “Gaza stands as a terrible lesson in what happens when people lack the courage to speak to one another”.
Sayyid Badr concluded his remarks with a call for the international community to find the courage to speak to each other constructively. He shared his hope that the Tehran Dialogue Forum would amplify calls for immediate increased momentum towards conflict resolution and lasting peace.
