Overview
- Sultan Haitham made the first official Omani state visit to France since 1989 and met President Emmanuel Macron to deepen bilateral ties.
- Macron said Paris and Muscat will cooperate on demining operations in the Strait of Hormuz to secure maritime routes and ensure free passage.
- An Iranian deputy minister reported that Oman and Iran will jointly manage an oversight committee for the strait with an initial meeting due to convene.
- The push for coordination follows a recent incident in which a cargo ship on a UN‑approved route off Oman's coast was struck by a projectile, raising questions about on‑the‑ground coordination and enforcement.
- The visit produced major commercial agreements including Thales radars, a $500 million CMA CGM logistics deal, a $2.25 billion Suez water contract and a $4 billion EDF pumped‑storage project, moves that deepen French industrial ties with Oman and could shift France's Gulf policy and regional economic links.