Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Sultan Haitham bin Tariq discussed regional crises in talks in Oman on Tuesday.
The two men discussed ways to find "political solutions to the crises in the region," the official Jordanian news agency reported.
"The king affirmed the centrality of the Palestinian cause and the need to support the Palestinian brethren to obtain their just rights and achieve the just peace," the report said.
The meetings were attended by the sons of the two leaders: Jordan's Crown Prince Al Hussein and Oman's Crown Prince Theyazin.
Oman's Foreign Ministry said the talks aimed at strengthening "the bond of brotherhood between the brotherly Omani and Jordanian people”.
They also discussed issues related to “regional and international developments”.
Queen Rania is accompanying the king on the two-day visit.
Jordanian state television said Omani and Jordanian officials will sign “agreements and memorandums of understandings” during King Abdullah's stay.
These aim to strengthen bilateral ties and trade between the two countries, it said.
Jordan exported goods to Oman worth $72 million last year and imported the equivalent of $79m from Oman, official data showed.
The royal couple were met at a private airport in Muscat by Sultan Haitham, both nations' state news agencies confirmed.
The monarchs then travelled to Muscat's Al Alam Palace, where they were met by the Royal Guard of Oman. Sultan Haitham escorted King Abdullah to a stage and cannons were fired 21 times in his honour.
Jordan and Oman are both close US allies and have military pacts with Washington.
Oman also has friendly ties with Iran. Jordan, despite its reservations about Iranian proxies fighting in Syria, generally steers away from directly criticising Tehran.
Over the past decade, security ties between Jordan and Oman have strengthened, with King Abdullah praising the sultanate for mediating disputes in the region. Jordan has sent military advisers to Oman, while Omani troops have participated in US-supervised military drills in the kingdom.
The two countries share “a middle, peaceful and balanced course,” Jordanian state television reported yesterday.
Bilateral ties have improved “noticeably” since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1972, which “serve security and stability in the region”, the report added.
Jordan's most extensive ties in the Gulf have been forged with the UAE. In 2019, Jordan restored full diplomatic ties with Qatar, which were downgraded in response to the rift between Doha on one side and the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on the other.
The six Gulf Co-operation Council countries employ most of Jordan's expatriate labour.
Official data from 2018 shows that 61 per cent of the 800,000 Jordanians working abroad reside in Saudi Arabia, followed by 14 per cent in the UAE, 13 per cent in Qatar and 6 per cent in Oman.
Official media quoted the king as telling political figures on Sunday that Jordan “will continue its moves in the upcoming period for [solving] regional issues and activating economic co-operation”.
MATCH INFO
Iceland 0 England 1 (Sterling pen 90 1)
Man of the match Kari Arnason (Iceland)
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
South and West: From a Notebook
Joan Didion
Fourth Estate
