Biden thanks Oman's Sultan Haitham for Yemen peacekeeping work

The leaders also discussed Muscat's recent opening of its airspace to all civilian craft and its dedication to clean energy

US President Joe Biden spoke to Oman's Sultan Haitham by phone on Tuesday. EPA

US President Joe Biden thanked Oman's Sultan Haitham on Tuesday for his support for peace efforts in Yemen.

The leaders "discussed mutual efforts to forge a more prosperous, peaceful and integrated Middle East region" in a phone call, the White House said.

Mr Biden thanked Sultan Haitham "for his personal leadership and support for the UN-mediated truce in Yemen, which over the past year has witnessed its longest period of calm since the war began over a decade ago", the statement said.

Since October, Oman has mediated talks between the Iran-backed rebel Houthis and Saudi Arabia — which leads a military coalition in support of the internationally recognised Yemeni government — that are focused on a potential comprehensive agreement to end the war.

Muscat recently sent a delegation to Yemen several times in a month to try to mediate a revival in peace talks that stalled in October.

Mr Biden also used the Tuesday call to re-emphasis his support of Oman's recent opening of its airspace to civilian air craft including from Israel, which Washington has previously celebrated.

At the start of the year, national security advisers from the UAE, Bahrain, the US and Israel promised enhanced regional integration and co-operation after talks.

Sultan Haitham and Mr Biden "committed to strengthening the US-Oman strategic partnership, trade and investment opportunities, and co-operation on clean, diversified, secure energy sources", the White House said.