TEHRAN — President Hassan Rouhani has congratulated Haitham bin Tariq on becoming the new Sultan of Oman, expressing the hope for the development of ties between Tehran and Muscat.

In a message on Monday, Rouhani said relations between Tehran and Muscat under Oman’s late ruler Sultan Qaboos Al Said were based upon mutual trust, Tasnim reported.

He added, “I hope that the bilateral relations during the era of your leadership would further grow in all fields with wisdom and discernment.”

The president wished health and success for the new sultan and prosperity for the brotherly nation of Oman.

He also expressed his condolences on Sultan Qaboos’s demise.

Sultan Qaboos’s death was announced by the official Oman News Agency. The announcement did not mention the cause, but Qaboos had been receiving treatment in Europe for cancer since at least 2014.

He was the Middle East’s longest-ruling monarch who transformed his kingdom from an isolated enclave into a developed nation known for brokering quiet talks between global foes. 

In a tweet on Saturday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed his condolence to the Omani government and people over his demise.

In his Arabic-language tweet, Zarif said, “Sultan Qaboos’ demise is a great loss for the region.”

The chief Iranian diplomat also traveled to Oman on Sunday to attend the commemoration ceremony of Sultan Qaboos. 

He also met with Oman’s new sultan on the sidelines of the ceremony, where the two sides discussed issues of mutual interests.

MH/PA