Fekry Abdeen and Rania Abu Shamala
29 May 2025•Update: 29 May 2025
ISTANBUL
Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian demanded an end Wednesday to Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip and the urgent entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged Palestinian enclave.
It came in a statement following talks in the Omani capital, which addressed regional and international issues, particularly the Gaza crisis, according to the official Omani News Agency.
The two leaders stressed “the need for a complete and permanent ceasefire, an end to the oppression of Palestinians, and a halt to the genocide being committed by Israeli occupation forces in Gaza and across the Palestinian territories.”
Bin Tariq and Pezeshkian also urged the international community to “assume its responsibilities in delivering relief aid and humanitarian supplies to defenseless civilians across Gaza.”
They also expressed a “firm rejection of any plans aimed at displacing or mistreating the population.”
The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a devastating offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 54,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.
Regarding bilateral ties, the sultan and the president “underlined the positive and fruitful role undertaken by the private sector in both countries, expressing their hope that these activities would contribute to augmenting investments and trade exchange.
They welcomed the signing of agreements covering mutual investment protection, legal and judicial cooperation, and memoranda of understanding.
Pezeshkian expressed his gratitude to the sultan “for his role in backing peace efforts and his valuable mediation between Iran and the US to achieve a satisfactory and just agreement that fulfills the aspirations of both sides,” said the Omani News Agency.
Pezeshkian arrived Tuesday in Muscat on and concluded his visit late Wednesday.
