Muscat – Oman and Iran signed 12 agreements on Monday paving the way for further strengthening trade ties as well as people to people relations between the two countries.

The two sides signed eight memoranda of understanding (MoU) and four cooperation programmes in several fields on the sidelines of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to Oman.

The first MoU is in the field of diplomatic studies and training, the second in the field of radio and television, and the third in higher education, scientific research and innovation. These were signed by H E Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidi, Foreign Minister, and Hossein Amir Abdollaian, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The fourth MoU – in the oil and gas sector – was signed by H E Dr Mohammed bin Hamad al Rumhy, Minister of Energy and Minerals, and Jawad Owji, Iranian Minister of Petroleum.

The fifth MoU, in the field of transport, was signed by H E Said bin Hamoud al Ma’awali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, and Rostam Qasemi, Iranian Minister of Transport and Urban Development.

The other MoUs are in the fields of agriculture, livestock and fisheries; plant protection and plant quarantine; and standards, metrology and conformity assessment. These were signed by H E Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, and Sayed Reza Fatemi Amin, Iranian Minister of Industry, Minerals and Trade.

The four cooperation programmes include one in the field of trade, investment and services, which was signed by H E Yousef and Amin.

The second is related to an executive programme for technical cooperation in the field of work and employment, while the third is in the field of environment. The fourth is for cooperation in the field of sports. These cooperation programmes were signed by H E Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali al Harthy, Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs in the Foreign Ministry, and Alireza Peyman-Pak, Undersecretary in the Iranian Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade.

According to H E Sayyid Badr, another package of MoUs and executive work programmes will be signed with the Iranian side at a later stage.