Sultan Qaboos visit to Iran

Sultan Qaboos will make his visit to Iran on Tuesday 4^th. It has been scheduled a few weeks ago, but was postponed. 

Iran is an important neighbour of Oman and the President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be taking the oath for a new second four-year term. 

Hormozgān province, which His Majesty will visit, is an interesting choice.

Today Bandar Abbas, main city of  Hormozgān, is Irans main Naval Base. In the past Oman ruled the town of Bandar Abbas  (named after Shah Abbas ) in the 18th and 19th c .

The links go further.

Visited by Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta – the Island of Hormuz was the principal town of the Kingdom of Hormuz (an Omani/Arab Kingdom) whose second City was the, now ruined, town of Qalhat in Oman .

Persia has ruled parts of Oman, most notably under the Sassinids and later under Nadir Shah

So Sultan Qaboos will be in Iran on the day of the Oath by the new President. He will be the first Head of State and probably major world figure to visit Iran, since the recent elections – perhaps that was the original intention.

Shah ‘Abbas in London – Sultan Qaboos in Iran

The British Museum’s Great Court

Walking into the Shah ‘Abbas exhibition in the British Museum’s Reading Room was almost a sense of  ‘déjà vu’ as the very English Sir Robert Sherley & wife Teresia gaze down as they did in the Tate’s ‘Lure of the East’ exhibition last year . This time they were not included because of the gorgeous costumes but for Robert Sherley’s role as Persian Ambassador from Shah ‘Abbas to various European Courts . 

A Display Case of Chinese Blue and White

In 2007 President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque which of course has a very Persian flavour to it  with the style of Shah Abbas’s dynasty throughout the interior of the building.

As Sultan Qaboos seems to like Persian art he will enjoy his visit to Iran this month. Perhaps the visit by the Omani Minister of Tourism in May to Homs and other Iranian cities was a build up to this visit - one trusts that the current political uncertainty will not affect His Majesty’s visit.

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As an update – His Majesty’s visit did not take place at the end of June but Sultan Qaboos now should visit Iran during mid-July

Oman’s Ministry of Tourism enters the Cruise business

Loaloat al Behar at berth in Mina Sultan Qaboos

With the arrival of the Loaloat Al Behar in Mina Sultan Qaboos, Oman’s Ministry of Tourism enters the Cruise business.  This was the last yacht of H.M. Sultan Qaboos and was given to Oman’s Ministry of Tourism on arrival of the new very splendid Al Said – its replacement.

Loaloat Al Behar has been refitted in Dubai as a mini (if that’s the right word for 100meters) cruise ship  . Though the deck does not have a pool it does have a mini Jacuzzi is available to cool off in. It will probably appeal to large families or a holiday with friends .

I wonder what the chartering fee will be .

Photos of the GCC Heads of State meeting in Muscat Oman

Here, in Muscat, we are hosting the Heads of State from the GCC States in the Oman meeting – near Al Bustan Palace is a welcome to them all

Oman Welcomes the GCC Leaders

 

 

 

 

 

Oman’s National Day

November 18^th is Oman’s National Day. This year is the 38^th celebration of what is referred to as Oman’s Renaissance since Sultan Qaboos ( حفظ الله صاحب الجلالة) became ruler of Oman . The changes since 1970 have been remarkable – of course it’s human nature to say the good old days were better but I have yet to hear anyone say that about Oman.

Todays Newspaper

Looking at today’s paper – Ali Al Habsi the footballer received the Oman Civil Order an award and much of the inside pages covered the achievements of Oman since 1970. 

Omans National Day 2008 Fireworks

As is tradition, we were treated to fireworks with a wonderful 15-minute display near Qurm – the volume even a kilometer away was sufficient to wake up the Cicadas and they chirped along – I suspect with concern.