MIDDLE EAST MONITORING DESK ISLAMABAD
Iran has not spared the mediating country of the Gulf even. Iran has targeted Deqm port and an oil tanker off the coast of Sultanate of Oman. The negotiations between Iran and USA were going on through Oman when Israel USA jointly hit Iran. In the first phase of targeting US assets in the Gulf, Oman was not among Iranian hit countries.
Reuters reported that Palau-flagged oil tanker hit by Iran was under U.S. sanctions. It was hit on Sunday off Oman’s Musandam peninsula, injuring four people, the country’s maritime security centre said, without specifying what hit the vessel. The attack followed earlier drone strikes elsewhere in the Gulf country, at the commercial port of Duqm on the Arabian Sea.
The U.S. Treasury in December 2025 sanctioned Red Sea Ship Management and Skylight, among other vessels, accusing the management company and its owner of operating a “shadow fleet” to transport Iranian petroleum products in the Gulf.
Oman’s Musandam peninsula shares control of the Strait of Hormuz with Iran, a vital strategic chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of global oil consumption flows.
Earlier on Sunday, Oman’s state news agency reported that the Duqm commercial port was hit by two drones, injuring one expatriate worker.
Debris from another drone fell in an area near fuel tanks at Duqm, but there were no casualties or material losses recorded from that incident, the agency added.
Organization of Islamic Countries and Gulf Cooperation Council have condemned Irani attacks.
Jasem Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the GCC, expressed his strong condemnation and denounced the assault as a blatant violation of Oman’s sovereignty and a dangerous escalation that threatens regional security, maritime safety, and global energy supplies. He said Iran’s military actions against GCC member states reflect its hostile intent toward both the Council and the wider region.
He noted that targeting civilian facilities constitutes a serious breach of international law, the UN Charter, and the principles of good-neighbourly relations.
GCC nations have repeatedly assured Tehran, in various meetings and occasions, that they would not allow their territories or airspace to be used for any military operations against the Islamic Republic.
The Secretary-General reaffirmed the GCC’s full solidarity with Oman and its support for all measures the Sultanate takes to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and stability, reiterating the bloc’s firm rejection of any aggression against its member states.
The General Secretariate of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation OIC has condmned in the strongest terms the Iranian attacks on the Sultanate of Iman’s Duqm Port and an oil ganker off the coast , in violation of its sovereignty and territory.
It condemned the targeting of civilian facilities and endagenring the lives of civilians, which represents a violation of international law and the rules of good neighbourliness and a dangerous escalation.
OIC expressed its full folidarity with the Sultanate of Oman, which has exerted valuable endeavours in mediating between Iran and the United States to reach peaceful solution to the crisis, stressing its support for portecting its sovereignty, security and stability.
Oman’s Foreign Minister, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi was mediating US Iran negotiations. He condemned attack on Iran and termed it unfortunate in the middle of the negotiations. He called DPM/FM of Pakistan on 01 March.
The sides expressed serious concern over the ongoing escalation in the region and underscored the urgent need for restraint, dialogue, and de-escalation to preserve peace and stability. Both agreed to remain in close contact over the evolving situation.
International affairs expert, Editor of Pakistan in the World media group Islamabad, Mr. Tazeen Akhtar has shared that Iran’s attack on Oman is quite unexpected if we see the negotiating role of Oman.
” It looks like Iran has developed some reservations about the mediating role of Oman after the latest attacks of Israel and US. It is natural for Iran to think that it is ditched during the dialogue and the process was not more than a hoodwink to keep Iran satified about no attack in the meanwhile, the negotiations are on, and Oman became the part of this conspiracy, Tazeen Akhtar opined.
