The focal point of the crucial first Iran-US conference about Tehran's nuclear program is mediator Oman.

With a lengthy tradition of taciturn diplomacy, Muscat prefers to work in the background, but hosting Saturday's crucial negotiations has thrown it into the spotlight.

MUSCAT, Oman (AP) — Once more, in this sleepy seaside city devoid of skyscrapers, some of the most important issues in Middle East geopolitics will be tackled.

Iran and the United States will meet for the first time since US President Donald Trump started his second term to discuss Tehran's quickly developing nuclear program here in Muscat, the capital of Oman, which is tucked away against the high stone heights of the Hajar Mountains.

Although an immediate accord is unlikely, the stakes for these two countries approaching a half-century of hostility are extremely high. If an agreement is not struck, Trump has frequently threatened to launch airstrikes against Iran's nuclear program. Iranian officials are warning more and more that their uranium stockpile, which has been enriched to levels close to weapons-grade, may be used to develop a nuclear bomb.

On the eastern border of the Arabian Peninsula sits Oman, one of the last sultanates in the world. Since it has conducted numerous discussions for Iran, the West has found it vital due to its distinct history, people, and close proximity to Iran. However, these recent discussions, which Trump abruptly revealed in the White House a few days ago, have thrust Oman squarely into the spotlight, something it normally tries to stay out of.

"The Omanis are very skilled at playing this back-channel role," Giorgio Cafiero, the founder and CEO of Gulf State Analytics, a risk analysis company based in Washington, stated. "The stakes are really high right now in the Trump 2.0 era, and it's critical that we recognize the importance of Oman as a diplomatic bridge."

With 5.2 million inhabitants spread across an arid nation little bigger than Italy, Oman stands out among the Gulf Arab states as a country that practices "Omanibalancing" in an unstable Middle East. Its inhabitants exceed its foreign labor population, and its oil and gas income is negligible in comparison. Omanis can be found working in offices and taxis, among other regular vocations. Additionally, its inhabitants are Ibadi Muslims, a more tolerant branch of Islam that existed before the Sunni-Shiite divide.
A fifth of all oil goes through the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf's small mouth, where they hold a key position.

Additionally, Oman is a previous empire whose maritime dominion formerly extended to the African island of Zanzibar. According to Marc J. O'Reilly, a history professor at Heidelberg University in Ohio, that history extends into how it handles the outside world.

After the death of its longstanding monarch Sultan Qaboos bin Said in 2020 and the installation of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, the sultanate continues to follow what O'Reilly called "Omanibalacing" more than 25 years ago.

According to O'Reilly, Oman is "the master of quiet diplomacy." "I believe the Omani people take pride in their reputation; they are aware of it."

But in recent years, that has been put to the test. Oman has diplomatic relations with the Houthis, a terrorist organization in Yemen that the Trump administration is currently bombing with a heavy airstrike campaign. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Oman has maintained its relations to Iran, which were strengthened when Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi dispatched soldiers to assist in quelling the Dhofar Rebellion in the 1970s.
For years, the United States has depended on Oman to negotiate with Iran, notably during President Barack Obama's covert administration, which resulted in Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement with international powers.

O'Reilly stated, "I think they are generally very easy to deal with in a region where that is not the norm."

The difficulty that lies ahead
This round of negotiations is different from previous rounds. The first issue Oman has is their level of public visibility. As a legacy from a previous era of Gulf Arab administration, Muscat usually uses prudence while handling diplomatic ties.