DHAKA: Iranian president Hassan Rouhani arrived in Muscat on Wednesday for a visit dedicated to talks with leaders of the Islamic republic’s historic ally in the Gulf on regional tensions and bilateral cooperation.

Rouhani was greeted on arrival at the royal airport in Muscat by Oman’s deputy prime minister for the council of ministers, Fahd Bin Mahmoud Al Said, the Oman News Agency reported, reports gulfnews.com.

He then headed to the Alam palace in eastern Muscat to meet Sultan Qaboos, who has acted as an intermediary between Western countries and the Islamic republic.

The sultanate is reported to have hosted secret talks between Iran and the United States ahead of the signing in Geneva last November of an accord between world powers and Iran on its nuclear programme.

A government official said Rouhani was also to hold talks on Wednesday with senior Omani officials, the sultanate’s top cleric Ahmad Al Khalil and local businesspeople.

BDST: 1650 HRS, MAR 12, 2014