CORRECTED COPY: IRAN AND OMAN: SUBSTANCE OR SHOW?

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 000441 C O R R E C T E D C O P Y - CORRECTED COPY: UPDATED COMMENT SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/05/13 TAGS: PREL IR KTIP MU SUBJECT: CORRECTED COPY: IRAN AND OMAN: SUBSTANCE OR SHOW? REF: A. MUSCAT 405; B. IIR 6 874 0128 09 DERIVED FROM: Derived from previous message. ¶1. (C) Oman News Agency reported on May 13 the arrival in Oman of a delegation of 50 Iranian officials, led by Speaker Ali Larijani, for a two-day visit. An embassy source at the Consultative Council in Oman tells us that the delegation of parliamentarians and businesspeople have a "packed" schedule. The delegation will discuss the "misunderstanding" about the Kish oil field (ref A), facilitating visas for Iranians visiting Oman, tourism and handicrafts, the Iranian nuclear issue and the Palestinian issue. There will also be talks about Iranian doctors and nurses coming to Oman to help ease the shortage of medical professionals here. The Iranians will attempt to convince the Sultan to visit Iran, which our source indicates is likely to happen in the near future. This will be Larijani's third visit in recent months, after he reportedly left early on his last two trips when Omani authorities would not allow him to publicly denounce Israel. ¶2. (U) On May 13, Tehran News reported that the tourism ministers from Oman and Iran signed an MOU to promote cooperation in the field of tourism including joint publicity and joint tours. It will also reportedly bring Iranian experts to Oman to assist with restoration of Omani forts and castles. ¶3. (U) Oman News Agency also reported that on May 15, Oman Chairperson of the Public Authority for Craft Industries, Shaikha Aisha bint Khalfan al Siyabiyah will begin an official visit to Iran to meet with the Vice-President of the Republic, the Chairman of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization and craft industry officials. This is a reciprocal visit and should conclude an agreement for an exchange of craftspeople between the two countries ¶4. (C) Tehran news reported on May 13 that Iran's Interior Minister, Sadeq Mahsouli, will make an official visit to Oman next week, as the head of a political and security delegation. In April, Omani Inspector General of Police and Customs, Malik bin Suleiman al-Mammari, announced that Oman and Iran would soon finalize a security pact. This agreement will reportedly focus on drug and human smuggling from Iran into Oman along the Batinah coast (ref B),which is corroborated by what Pakistani officials told us regarding Oman and Iran working together to reduce illegal passage of people and goods between the two countries. ¶5. (C) Comment: The tourism, health care, handicrafts and visa agreements would presumably result in an increase of Iranians in Oman. Given the Omanis traditional practice of controlling Iranian visitors very carefully, it will be interesting to see how they handle this potential influx. It is currently almost impossible for an Iranian to get a visa to come to Oman, therefore, unless significant changes are made in the visa process, these agreements would have very little practical impact. We understand that the agreements may ease Iranian visitation in a narrow way for fortress restoration and the healthcare industry while conversely allowing more religious tourism for Omani Shia. ¶6. (C) Comment Continued: Having two-cabinet level Omanis visit Iran in a month is somewhat unusual. Some of our contacts have speculated that Oman is attempting to reassure the Iranians that Oman's policy toward Iran will not change in the wake of SAGSWA Dennis Ross's visit to Oman. However, it would be difficult to find two less substantive visitors than ministers related to handicrafts and tourism. The one issue of substance, the security pact dealing with smuggling, conforms to U.S. goals for the region in reducing the potential for trafficking victims caused by illegal immigration. This would conform to the Omani norm of working to balance the perceptions of equality in their relationships with both Iran and the U.S., while significantly favoring the U.S. on substantive issues. End Comment. GRAPPO