Israel is ‘Middle East country’: Oman

Oman considers Israel a “Middle East country”, Omani Foreign Minister Yousuf bin Alawi said Saturday.

"But I think (Israel) may be worried about the consequences It will bear if it is recognized as a Middle East country," he told Deutsche Welle television.

Bin Alawi said his country will continue to support mediation between the Palestinians and Israel with a view to reaching a solution to their conflict, but without giving any further details.

On the Iranian issue, he said "Our relationship with Iran will continue and our brothers in the Gulf know that."

Bin Alawi met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Warsaw on Thursday on the sidelines of a conference on stability in the Middle East, co-organized by the U.S. and the Polish government.

Late last year, Netanyahu visited Oman where he met with Omani Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

Oman and Israel don’t have formal relations.