Oman FM: No normalisation with Israel, no joining Board of Peace - Middle East Monitor

Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on Wednesday that his country will not normalise relations with Israel and will not join the proposed Board of Peace, also referred to as the Peace Council.

He said the current war aims to weaken Iran, reshape the region, promote normalisation with Israel, and prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state. He added that the conflict could end “soon” but warned that countries should remain prepared for “the worst possibilities”.

Speaking during a meeting with editors-in-chief of local newspapers, Albusaidi said: “The Sultanate of Oman will not enter the Peace Council and will not normalise with Israel,” stressing that his country’s position on regional issues remains unchanged, according to the Omani newspaper Oman.

On 15 January, Donald Trump announced the creation of the Board of Peace. Although the body was unveiled after Israel’s war in Gaza, its charter does not mention the Palestinian territory.

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According to Trump’s plan, the council is one of four bodies proposed to manage the transitional phase in Gaza. The others are a national committee to administer Gaza, an executive council for Gaza, and an international stabilisation force.

Commenting on the background to the US–Israeli conflict with Iran, Albusaidi said the real objectives go beyond Iran’s nuclear programme.

“The goal is not limited to the nuclear issue,” he said. “It also aims to weaken Iran, reshape the region, advance the normalisation agenda, prevent the creation of a Palestinian state and weaken those who support that project.”

He added that there is a broader plan targeting the region, noting that Iran is not the only focus. “Many regional parties are aware of this, but they are betting that aligning with the United States may lead Washington to reconsider some of its decisions and policies,” he said.

Albusaidi also said the United States would not have obtained greater concessions from Iran through war than those already achieved through negotiations.

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