Oman Foreign Min. says Israel drew US into Iran war, calls conflict a ‘grave miscalculation’
US has lost control of its own foreign policy: Badr Albusaidi
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Muscat: Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi has said that Israel persuaded the United States to go to war with Iran, describing the ongoing conflict as a “grave miscalculation” and a “catastrophe”, according to a report by The Guardian.
Writing in the British news and current affairs Journal The Economist, Albusaidi said Washington had “lost control of its own foreign policy” and was drawn into the conflict despite the possibility of securing a nuclear agreement with Tehran.
He said Iran and the United States had been close to an understanding during nuclear talks held in Geneva in February.
“It was a shock but not a surprise” when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran just hours after discussions that had made peace “really possible”, he wrote.
According to Albusaidi, Tehran had offered concessions, including limits on uranium enrichment, in exchange for sanctions relief, and further negotiations had been planned before military action began.
He alleged that Israel’s leadership convinced US President Donald Trump to join the war.
“The American administration’s greatest miscalculation… was allowing itself to be drawn into this war,” he wrote, adding that the conflict was “not America’s war” and that there was no clear outcome in which both the US and Israel would achieve their objectives.
Albusaidi described the broader confrontation as a “catastrophe”, particularly for Gulf nations. He said there was little indication that negotiations would resume soon and urged both sides to return to dialogue.
“For Israel to achieve its stated objective will require a long military campaign,” he cautioned, warning that such a course could draw the US deeper into the conflict.
The Omani minister also termed the military strikes by the US and Israel “illegal”, saying countries involved in the attacks were in breach of international law as long as hostilities continued.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected claims that Israel had pushed Washington into the conflict. “Does anyone really think that someone can tell President Trump what to do?” he said in response.
Oman has been among Gulf countries advocating a diplomatic solution, while other regional states have expressed concern that the war could destabilise energy supplies and regional security.
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Surjewala attacks Centre on LPG cylinder crisis, asks BJP how it will face voters
Bengaluru (PTI): Attacking the Narendra Modi-led government in the centre over the LPG cylinder crisis in the country, Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala on Friday asked the BJP, how will it go to the voters in poll-bound states.
Claiming that the country was facing a "huge crisis", he attacked the centre over the depreciation of the Indian rupee to Rs 93 against the US dollar, terming it "worrisome" for both the economy and employment.
Surjewala, who is also the party in charge of Karnataka, said that during the tenure of Manmohan Singh as PM, Modi had said that the "prestige of the prime minister falls when the value of the rupee declines". Then the value of the Indian Rupee against the USD was at Rs 54 for a dollar.
Speaking to reporters here, he alleged that despite the current situation, the government and the BJP remained "on mute mode", while ordinary households, small dhabas, restaurants and eateries were facing a severe crisis with a shortage of both commercial and domestic gas.
"Today, the Indian rupee has fallen to 93 rupees to a dollar, but the BJP, Prime Minister Modi and their government remains on a mute mode. Ordinary households, small dhabas and restaurants, and small eateries feel the crisis today. No commercial gas is available, no domestic gas is available," he claimed.
The Congress leader alleged that people were buying gas cylinders in black at Rs 1,300.
"At this price, we will have to employ a security guard to protect every cylinder in India," he said sarcastically and alleged that the BJP is not taking responsibility for the situation.
He further alleged that the Centre had raised the price of domestic gas twice and commercial gas thrice, and also increased the price of premium petrol and diesel.
"Tomorrow you will again raise the price of petrol and diesel. What should the ordinary Indian do? Does the BJP have any answer? Do they even have a right to go and seek votes?" he asked.
While Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Puducherry are facing Assembly polls, two seats in Karnataka -- Davangere South and Bagalkote -- will go for by-elections.
Speaking to reporters here, Surjewala demanded answers from BJP leaders and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy.
"We demand from Kumarswamy why he is keeping mum? Why are they quiet? Price of commercial gas goes up three times, price of domestic gas goes up two times, price of premium petrol and diesel goes up, price of petrol and diesel is about to go up," he said.
Alleging that while the unemployment rate for graduates in India is 67 per cent and the artificial intelligence revolution is leading to loss of jobs in India, he alleged that the BJP does only communal politics.
The Congress leader asserted that the BJP had no right to seek votes until it answered these questions.
