The Sultan of Oman has arrived in Russia on a visit. What you need to know

Sultan of Oman Haytham bin Tarek has arrived in Moscow on an official visit. He will stay in Russia for two days, and he is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 22. It is expected that 10 different agreements will be signed during the visit, including on the mutual abolition of visa requirements. What Oman is like and what place it occupies in the world is in the Izvestia article.

How Oman works

Oman is one of the six countries in the world where an absolute monarchy is established. These states also include Oman's three regional neighbors: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Brunei and the Vatican are also among them. The Sultan of Oman since 2020 is Haytham bin Tarek from the Al Saeed dynasty. He has full power, which he inherits, and forms the government.

• Since 1996, Oman has had its own constitution, which confirms the unlimited powers of the monarch. Political parties are banned in the country, and the only elections are held to the lower house of the Council of Oman, which is a parliamentary-type advisory body. Women have the right to vote and can both be elected and enter the Government. Islam has been established as the state religion in the country.

Oman in its current form owes its existence to Sultan Qaboos bin Said. He overthrew his father in 1970 and ruled for almost half a century. He united the previously independent Sultanate of Muscat and the Imamate of Oman into a single state, in which he abolished the old isolationist orders and began to carry out active reforms with the modernization of the economy. Qaboos bin Said died in 2020 and handed over power to Haysam bin Tarek, who is his cousin.

Oman is one of the economically prosperous countries and ranks among the top 60 countries in terms of GDP per capita. The sultanate's economy is based on oil production, significant reserves of which were discovered in 1964, while the country is not one of the OPEC countries. Oil production and processing accounts for about half of Oman's GDP. The country also has a plan in place to diversify its economy away from oil dependence.

On the world stage, Oman pursues a moderate foreign policy, in many ways similar to that followed by the UAE. The Sultanate maintains friendly relations with Western countries, as well as with Russia and Iran. Oman is one of the few Arab countries that maintains unofficial relations with Israel and has not participated in any form of hostilities against it.

Oman also acts as an intermediary in matters of international diplomacy. So, in April 2025, Muscat hosted the delegations of Iran and the United States, which held the first indirect talks on the nuclear deal in a long time.

How Russia and Oman are connected

• Russia and Oman have maintained diplomatic relations since 1985. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the positions of the two countries are close or almost identical on all major international issues. The political dialogue between Russia and Oman is maintained at the highest level. In 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Sultan Haysam bin Tarek held a telephone call, which became the first dialogue between the leaders of the two countries.

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• In 2020, Oman introduced a visa-free stay for Russian citizens for up to 14 days. Russia, for its part, has introduced the possibility of electronic visas for Omani citizens. During Haysam ben Tarek's visit to Moscow, it is planned to sign an agreement on the abolition of the visa regime for holders of ordinary passports. Direct flights have been operating between Russia and Oman since the fall of 2024. Oman Air operates regular flights from Moscow to Muscat.

In terms of tourism, Oman is a promising destination for Russians and quite distinctive. Unlike its neighbors in the Persian Gulf, Oman is developing an Arabic style in its architecture and landscaping, abandoning the construction of giant skyscrapers and bulk islands. The country has adopted strong enough incentives for beach holidays, and alcohol is freely available in hotels.

• There is a double taxation agreement between Russia and Oman, which promotes the growth of trade relations. By the end of 2023, the trade volume amounted to $400 million, an increase of 60% year-on-year. Russia mainly exports petroleum products, coal, grain and pipes to Oman.