Camille Lons

Onshore balancing: The threat to Oman’s neutrality

Oman's decision to grant the US Navy access to strategically important ports reflects intensifying global rivalry between the US and China. Europe can work to keep Oman a neutral mediator

Oman: between Iran and a hard place

Oman has historically been careful to balance its relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran, allowing it to play a useful role mediating regional disputes. However, as the region’s anti-Iran rhetoric is ramping up and the Sultanate is having to deal with its own domestic issues, neutrality is becoming harder to maintain