Istanbul / Anadolu

Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman affirmed on Wednesday the importance of maintaining the security of waterways and ensuring freedom of navigation, foremost of which is the Strait of Hormuz, coinciding with renewed military escalation between Iran and the United States.

This came during official talks held by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan with his Omani counterpart Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi in the capital Muscat, according to a statement by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, without specifying the duration of the visit.

The ministry said the two sides discussed 'developments in regional and international situations, and exchanged views on issues of common interest, foremost of which are developments related to the Strait of Hormuz.'

According to the statement, the two ministers stressed the importance of maintaining 'the security of waterways, ensuring freedom of navigation, and supporting efforts to enhance security and stability in the region,' and resolving conflicts through dialogue and peaceful means.

These talks come a day after attacks in the Strait of Hormuz area, for which Washington blamed Iran, and the subsequent military escalation between the United States and Iran.

The two sides also reviewed relations between Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman, and ways to enhance and develop them to serve common interests, raise the level of bilateral cooperation, and advance the march of joint Gulf action.

The talks covered a number of joint strategic projects, foremost of which is the land port project between the two countries, in addition to cooperation in the fields of transport networks and logistical connectivity, contributing to enhancing their interconnection and supporting regional integration.

The two ministers also discussed opportunities to expand economic, trade, and investment cooperation, encourage public-private partnerships, and benefit from promising opportunities in sectors of common interest.

Military escalation in the region renewed in recent hours; earlier Wednesday, Kuwait announced the interception of two missiles and 13 drones, while Bahrain sounded sirens three times over more than two hours, without immediate information on the nature or consequences of the attacks.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced that it targeted 85 American military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait with missiles and drones, in response to American attacks targeting southern Iran on Tuesday/Wednesday night.

This came a day after Saudi Arabia and Qatar announced that two of their tankers were targeted in the Strait of Hormuz.

On June 18 last, Iran and the United States reached a memorandum of understanding stipulating a ceasefire, lifting the American naval blockade on Iran, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after the war launched by Tel Aviv and Washington against Tehran since February 28 last.

However, the Strait of Hormuz area witnesses periodic security tensions against the backdrop of the American-Israeli aggression on Iran.

Iran insists on the necessity of coordination with it before any ship crosses the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the most important global corridors for energy supplies.