The Omani Foreign Minister wrote that diplomacy has been fraught with challenges in recent years. Interim agreements have only resulted in limited de-escalation and have failed to resolve numerous conflicts affecting Palestine, Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Lebanon, Israel, and Ukraine, which have seriously jeopardized the regional neighbors and the global economy.
The problem is not a lack of effort—initiatives, mediations, summits, and memoranda of understanding have proliferated, and seasoned diplomats have poured their hearts into their work. The root cause lies in two new trends: the increasing disregard for international law and the tendency of some major power leaders to bypass career diplomats and act unilaterally, often lacking the practical means to advance their goals.
Now is not the time to abandon the principle that "the law should restrain illegitimate power." In practice, this means maintaining confidence in the diplomatic process even when diplomacy seems ineffective. Diplomats, especially smaller nations, must persist in dialogue and negotiations, even in the face of impasses and stubborn adversaries.
Oman's participation in the Strait of Hormuz negotiations aims to safeguard its sovereignty, protect the most vulnerable nations from the closure of the straits, and strengthen its position under international law within a legal framework. This aligns with its principle of "constructive neutrality." Oman hopes to establish a normative order of mutual commitments that would allow most small countries to avoid the impact of the power behavior of large countries.
