Iran has eliminated the need for citizens of Oman to obtain visas in order to travel to the Islamic Republic.
"Based on a directive approved by the Cabinet on Sept. 17 and further notified by the First Vice President [Es'haq Jahangiri], Omani residents can henceforth travel to Iran without first having to obtain visas," Mohammad Reza Shahroudi, Iran's ambassador to the Arab nation, told IRNA.
Shahroudi announced the news on Sunday, saying the visa waiver initiative will be implemented within 10 days. He added that the initiative was proposed by Iran's Foreign Ministry.
The move was in recognition of recent facilitations made by the Omani government concerning Iran.
Residents of Iran still need to acquire visa to travel to the Arab nation, but they can now opt for electronic visas instead of having to apply in person. Iranians can get 10-day visas that may be extended by up to one year upon entering Oman.
"I hope that the facilities considered for the residents of both countries will further boost bilateral ties, especially in terms of trade," Shahroudi said.
The visa waiver initiative is the latest step in a series of measures aimed at boosting bilateral relations that have significantly improved recently. The two nations have become much closer both in terms of politics and from an economic standpoint.
While Oman has remained steadfast in supporting the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the formal name of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers, it has also considerably boosted its banking ties with Iran in recent years, which help promote mutual trade.
"While our traders in the Persian Gulf Arab states cannot easily conduct their business, considerations have been made for Iranians in Oman, the most important of which is opening bank accounts and transferring money from Omani banks," Mohsen Zarrabi, the head of the Iran-Oman Chamber of Commerce, said earlier this year.
Bank Melli Iran, the nation's biggest bank, and Bank Saderat that boasts the most expansive presence on foreign soil among Iranian banks, reopened their branches in Muscat after the implementation of JCPOA in 2016 and are currently operational.
In mid-March, the Central Bank of Iran allowed them to issue guarantees for Iranian businesses planning to invest or trade in Oman or those who seek to take out loans from Omani banks. The guarantees are accepted by Omani companies, making work easier and more secure.
On the other hand, Bank Muscat became one of the first foreign banks to establish a presence in Iran following the nuclear deal after it opened a representative office in Tehran in February 2016, shortly after the nuclear deal was implemented.
Latest data released by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration show that Iran traded 1.36 million tons of non-oil commodities worth $659.80 million with Oman during the first five months of the current fiscal year that ended on Aug. 22. This indicates a 53.71% and 126.6% growth in tonnage and value respectively compared with last year’s corresponding period.
