{"id":1636,"date":"2026-07-01T19:38:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T19:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arabnewsmonitor.com\/2026\/07\/01\/why-is-france-betting-on-oman-amid-the-hormuz-crisis\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T19:38:01","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T19:38:01","slug":"why-is-france-betting-on-oman-amid-the-hormuz-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/?p=1636","title":{"rendered":"Why is France betting on Oman amid the Hormuz crisis?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--banner-top o-ad-container--with-shimmer o-ad-container--with-background\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-type=\"sponsoring\" data-tms-ad-status=\"disabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-sponsoring__wrapper\">\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content t-content--article\" id=\"main-content\">\n<div class=\"t-content__above-sidebar\">\n<h1 class=\"t-content__title a-page-title\">Why is France betting on Oman amid the Hormuz crisis?<\/h1>\n<div class=\"m-master-tag\">\n<div class=\"a-tag-section\">\n                                    Middle East\n                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"t-content__chapo\">\n                                        After months of crisis in the Middle East, France is looking to build its influence in the region by strengthening relations with Oman\u00a0\u2013 a small country long seen as a quiet, neutral regional player. On his first state visit to France, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday announced a string of major contracts for French companies.\u00a0                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__with-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"t-content__beside-sidebar\" data-article-content>\n<div class=\"t-content__metadata\">\n<div class=\"t-content__dates\">\n<p class=\"m-pub-dates\"><span class=\"m-pub-dates__date\">Issued on: <time datetime=\"2026-07-01T17:06:55+00:00\">01\/07\/2026 &#8211; 19:06<\/time><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-reading-time\">\n    <span class=\"a-reading-time__icon\" title=\"Reading time\"><\/p>\n<p>    <\/span><br \/>\n    5 min    <span class=\"u-sr-only\">Reading time<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a-share-button\" data-root-share>\n<p>                            <span class=\"a-master-button__label\">Share<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__authors\">\n<div class=\"m-from-author\">\n                    <span class=\"m-from-author__by-label\"><br \/>\n                By:<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-author\">\n<div class=\"m-author__name\">\n                                                    <a href=\"\/en\/author\/sophian-aubin\/\" title=\"Sophian Aubin\" class=\"m-author__name__title\"><br \/>\n                                Sophian Aubin<br \/>\n                            <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__main-media\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/67be15f2-749c-11f1-8885-005056bfb2b6\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/AP26180378011196.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/67be15f2-749c-11f1-8885-005056bfb2b6\/w:388\/p:16x9\/AP26180378011196.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/67be15f2-749c-11f1-8885-005056bfb2b6\/w:720\/p:16x9\/AP26180378011196.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/67be15f2-749c-11f1-8885-005056bfb2b6\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/AP26180378011196.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1076px) 100vw, 1012px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"Le pr\u00e9sident Emmanuel Macron, \u00e0 gauche, salue le sultan d'Oman, Haitham ben Tariq, avant une rencontre \u00e0 l'\u00c9lys\u00e9e, \u00e0 Paris, le lundi 29 juin 2026.\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                French President Emmanuel Macron, right, greets the Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq before a meeting at the \u00c9lys\u00e9e Palace in Paris on June 29, 2026.         \u00a9 Michel Euler, AP    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__body u-clearfix\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/france\/\" target=\"_self\">French<\/a>\u00a0President Emmanuel Macron, sporting his now-infamous\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/live-news\/20260122-macron-squares-up-to-trump-in-rebel-shades-at-macho-davos-gathering\" target=\"_self\">aviator sunglasses<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/oman\/\" target=\"_self\">Oman<\/a>\u2019s turbaned sultan made a striking pair as they shook hands for reporters before their meeting at Paris\u2019s \u00c9lys\u00e9e Palace on Monday. Their message was clear: France and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/oman\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Oman<\/a> are set to deepen economic ties.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m eager to cooperate more and grow our relationship,&#8221; Macron said, announcing a series of major contracts for French companies. The sultan responded in kind: &#8220;We are opening our doors to all new business partners.&#8221;\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It was Sultan Haitham bin Tariq\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elysee.fr\/emmanuel-macron\/2026\/06\/29\/visite-officielle-de-sa-majeste-haitham-bin-tarik-sultan-doman\" target=\"_blank\">first state visit to France<\/a> since his ascension to the throne in 2020 following the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/20200111-sultan-qaboos-of-oman-dies-aged-79\" target=\"_self\">death of his cousin, Sultan Qaboos bin Said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-em-image\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--original m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/2f285c9c-749d-11f1-b6c1-005056a97e36\/w:980\/AP26180379151507.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/2f285c9c-749d-11f1-b6c1-005056a97e36\/w:246\/AP26180379151507.jpg 246w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/2f285c9c-749d-11f1-b6c1-005056a97e36\/w:388\/AP26180379151507.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/2f285c9c-749d-11f1-b6c1-005056a97e36\/w:720\/AP26180379151507.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/2f285c9c-749d-11f1-b6c1-005056a97e36\/w:980\/AP26180379151507.jpg 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px\" alt=\"Le pr\u00e9sident fran\u00e7ais Emmanuel Macron, \u00e0 gauche, salue le sultan d'Oman, Haitham ben Tariq, avant une rencontre \u00e0 l'\u00c9lys\u00e9e, \u00e0 Paris, lundi 29 juin 2026.\" style=\"max-height:567px\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                French President Emmanuel Macron, left, greets the Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq before a meeting at the Elys\u00e9e Palace,  Monday, June 29, 2026.         \u00a9 Michel Euler, AP    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Qaboos was one of the Middle East\u2019s longest-serving rulers. During his nearly 50 years as absolute monarch, he dramatically modernised and developed the country\u2019s economy and ended its international isolation, deftly positioning it as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/video\/20260629-sultan-of-oman-to-meet-france-s-macron-with-spotlight-on-strait-of-hormuz\" target=\"_self\">\u201cthe Switzerland of the Middle East\u201d<\/a> between its neighbouring Gulf states, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/iran\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Iran<\/a>, and their hotbed of thorny relationships.<\/p>\n<p class=\"a-read-more\"><span class=\"a-read-more__label\">Watch more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tv-shows\/spotlight\/20260629-dawud-al-ansari-says-oman-committed-to-de-escalation-and-peace-in-the-region-at-any-cost\" target=\"_self\" class=\"a-read-more__link\">Pragmatic diplomacy: &#8216;Oman is committed to de-escalation &amp; peace in the region&#8217;, analyst says<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Now the sultanate&#8217;s long-held neutrality is being tested and shifted, given Oman\u2019s geographically advantageous position with territorial waters across from Iran in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/strait-of-hormuz\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Strait of Hormuz<\/a>. The critical waterway has been paralysed since February 28, when US-Israeli strikes on Iran first began.<\/p>\n<p>Prior to the war, 20 percent of the world&#8217;s oil passed through the strait daily, free of charge. The Iranian regime now intends to impose a toll \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20260623-iran-oman-mull-charging-strait-of-hormuz-maritime-service-fees\" target=\"_self\">or \u201cmaritime service fee\u201d,<\/a> when it plays on semantics\u00a0\u2013 on ships passing through the waterway. The US has repeatedly rejected any sort of fee, repeatedly insisting that the strait is an &#8220;international waterway&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Macron and Sultan Haitham on Monday called for &#8220;free navigation, without conditions or restrictions&#8221; through the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n<p class=\"a-read-more\"><span class=\"a-read-more__label\">Read more<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/middle-east\/20260630-how-ships-are-risking-safe-passage-through-the-strait-of-hormuz\" target=\"_self\" class=\"a-read-more__link\">How ships are risking \u2018safe\u2019 passage through the Strait of Hormuz<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-em-image\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--original m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/b81cc25e-732b-11f1-835f-005056a90284\/w:980\/000-B8J469F.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/b81cc25e-732b-11f1-835f-005056a90284\/w:246\/000-B8J469F.jpg 246w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/b81cc25e-732b-11f1-835f-005056a90284\/w:388\/000-B8J469F.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/b81cc25e-732b-11f1-835f-005056a90284\/w:720\/000-B8J469F.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/b81cc25e-732b-11f1-835f-005056a90284\/w:980\/000-B8J469F.jpg 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px\" alt=\"Des bateaux ancr\u00e9s au large de la p\u00e9ninsule de Musandam, au nord d\u2019Oman, pr\u00e8s du d\u00e9troit d\u2019Ormuz, le 27 juin 2026\" style=\"max-height:567px\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                This aerial photograph shows boats anchored off Oman&#8217;s northern Musandam Peninsula near the Strait of Hormuz on June 27, 2026.         \u00a9 AFP    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><strong>Strait of Hormuz \u2018not Iranian property\u2019 <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Situated between Iran to the north and Oman and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/united-arab-emirates\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">United Arab Emirates<\/a> to the south, the Strait of Hormuz is the only maritime access point between the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. Since the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/united-nations\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">UN<\/a> Convention on the Law of the Sea came into force in 1994, the two countries have exercised sovereignty over their respective waters and\u00a0have jointly overseen the legal framework for this strategic maritime corridor.<\/p>\n<p>Circumventing Iranian controls by sailing through the Omani side of the passage\u00a0\u2013 roughly 30 kilometres wide\u00a0\u2013 is &#8220;entirely possible&#8221;, France&#8217;s ambassador to Oman, Nabil Hajlaoui, said Tuesday <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/fr\/vid%C3%A9o\/20260630-visite-du-sultan-d-oman-%C3%A0-paris-l-ambassadeur-nabil-hajlaoui-en-d%C3%A9taille-les-enjeux\" target=\"_self\">in an interview with FRANCE 24,<\/a> insisting that the strait \u201cis not Iranian property\u201d.<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-em-image\">\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--original m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/e33cd5cc-3e0c-11f1-be45-005056bf30b7\/w:980\/000-A7KX6CQ.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/e33cd5cc-3e0c-11f1-be45-005056bf30b7\/w:246\/000-A7KX6CQ.jpg 246w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/e33cd5cc-3e0c-11f1-be45-005056bf30b7\/w:388\/000-A7KX6CQ.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/e33cd5cc-3e0c-11f1-be45-005056bf30b7\/w:720\/000-A7KX6CQ.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/e33cd5cc-3e0c-11f1-be45-005056bf30b7\/w:980\/000-A7KX6CQ.jpg 980w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px\" alt=\"Vue satellite du golfe d'Oman et du d\u00e9troit d'Ormuz\" style=\"max-height:567px\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n                File photo: This handout natural-colour image taken by NASA&#8217;s Terra satellite taken on February 5, 2025 shows the Gulf of Oman and the Makran region (C) in southern Iran, southwestern Pakistan and the Strait of Hormuz (L) and the northern coast of Oman (bottom).        \u00a9 Nasa, AFP    <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;The strait is indeed divided between Iranian and Omani territorial waters&#8221;\u00a0\u2013 but &#8220;the strategic reality is different&#8221;, noted Cl\u00e9ment Therme, a research fellow at the International Institute for Iranian Studies. &#8220;This is because Iran retains significant military capability which enables it to influence security across the entire region.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Paris-Muscat joint operations<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Iran began laying mines in the strait\u00a0\u2013 a strategic waterway for global trade \u2013 back in March, according to several US sources. During Sultan Haitham\u2019s visit, Muscat and Paris agreed to &#8220;conduct joint demining operations&#8221; in the strait\u00a0\u2013 a proposal that did not go down well with Tehran.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-em-video\">\n<div class=\"o-video-player o-video-player--16x9\" data-media-video-wbmz563636-f24-en-20260701 data-show-hidden-video-player=\"WBMZ563636-F24-EN-20260701\" data-wrapper-video-player data-youtube-script>\n<div class=\"o-em-consent \">\n<div class=\"o-em-consent__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-consent__content__text\">To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement.<\/p>\n<p>        <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"accept\"><br \/>\n            Accept<\/p>\n<p>        <\/button><br \/>\n        <button class=\"a-link\" data-action=\"manage\">Manage my choices                <\/p>\n<p><\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock\" data-adblock-content>\n<div class=\"o-em-adblock__content\">\n<p class=\"o-em-adblock__content__text\">One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site.<\/p>\n<p>            <button class=\"a-master-button a-master-button--dark\" data-action=\"reload\">Try again<\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"m-item-image m-item-image--16x9 m-item-image--has-caption\">\n<p><img decoding=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/f76be800-73c0-11f1-8c4e-005056a97e36\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/EN-20260629-151346-151851-CS.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/f76be800-73c0-11f1-8c4e-005056a97e36\/w:388\/p:16x9\/EN-20260629-151346-151851-CS.jpg 388w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/f76be800-73c0-11f1-8c4e-005056a97e36\/w:720\/p:16x9\/EN-20260629-151346-151851-CS.jpg 720w,https:\/\/s.france24.com\/media\/display\/f76be800-73c0-11f1-8c4e-005056a97e36\/w:1024\/p:16x9\/EN-20260629-151346-151851-CS.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) calc(100vw - 32px), (max-width: 1076px) calc(100vw - 44px), 850px\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" alt=\"\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"a-img \"><figcaption class=\"a-figcaption\">\n    Cover image:                    \u00a9 France 24    <\/figcaption><div class=\"m-item-image__overlay-wrapper\">\n                <button class=\"m-main-media-btn\" aria-label=\"Play the video\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"m-main-media-btn__picto\"><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"a-circle-loader\">\n<\/div>\n<p><\/button><br \/>\n<time class=\"a-media-time\">05:04<\/time>                <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-hidden-video-player=\"WBMZ563636-F24-EN-20260701\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Demining &#8220;is carried out by Iran and no other country&#8221;, responded Iran\u2019s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, calling on Paris &#8220;not to further complicate&#8221; the situation &#8220;with its provocations&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Paris&#8217;s growing relationship with Muscat enables France &#8220;to retain some economic and diplomatic presence&#8221; in the region, but clearly shows that France&#8217;s influence is &#8220;extremely fragile&#8221;, said S\u00e9bastien Boussois, a political scientist and director of the European Geopolitical Institute (IGE).<\/p>\n<p>Oman is not one of the key players influencing the resolution of the crisis, Boussois added, explaining that Iran, the US, Pakistan and, above all, Qatar hold all the cards.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Macron doesn&#8217;t have an &#8220;exceptional relationship&#8221; with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/tag\/qatar\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"gtm-add-suggested-tag\">Qatar<\/a>, Boussois added, due to his closer ties with the United Arab Emirates. Oman appears to be a choice by default.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;France has no real clout in the region,&#8221; Boussois said, despite\u00a0Macron&#8217;s diplomatic activism.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Calculating beyond Hormuz<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>But by betting on Muscat, Paris is looking beyond the Hormuz crisis, suggested Emmanuel Dupuy, president of the Institute for Prospective and Security in Europe (IPSE).<\/p>\n<p>France can easily lay claim to be a power player in the Indo-Pacific region. It\u00a0possesses the world&#8217;s second-largest <a target=\"_blank\">exclusive economic zone<\/a>, largely formed of its overseas territories. On June 8, it took over the rotating presidency of the Indian Ocean Commission.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Oman is above all an Indian Ocean power, a key player in the ability to create a new security architecture for the countries bordering the Indian Ocean,&#8221; Dupuy said.<\/p>\n<p>Muscat has another advantage, he added. Oman has been far less affected than its neighbours by the recent war, and as such, &#8220;the sultanate ultimately appears as a safer destination&#8221; for investment. On June 29, French environmental services giant Suez announced a \u20ac2 billion contract for water management in Oman\u00a0\u2013 one of the biggest in its history.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Iran-US knot<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Special ties with Oman also offer certain diplomatic advantages. Muscat &#8220;enjoys a special position because of its ability to maintain trusting relations with Western countries, the Gulf monarchies, and Iran alike. Oman has regularly played a mediating role in regional crises, particularly between Washington and Tehran, for several decades,&#8221; said Therme.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;But today, the credibility of France&#8217;s strategy depends on how the relationship between the United States and Iran evolves,&#8221; he added.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;A return to the pre-war situation would give Paris&#8217;s initiatives real scope for action. If tensions persist, France will be hard-pressed to do more than making calls for de-escalation.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>This article was translated from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/fr\/moyen-orient\/20260630-pourquoi-la-france-mise-t-elle-sur-oman-dans-la-crise-d-ormuz\" target=\"_self\">original in French<\/a> by Nicolette Bundy.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"o-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"o-sidebar__aside\">\n<div data-tms-ad-status=\"idle\" data-tms-ad-container class=\"o-ad-container o-ad-container--box o-ad-container--with-shimmer\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__content o-ad-container__content--report-enabled\">\n<div class=\"o-ad-container__label m-block-ad__label--report-enabled\">\n                    <span class=\"o-ad-container__label__text\">Advertising<\/span><br \/>\n                                            <button title=\"Report this ad\" class=\"o-ad-container__content__report-link\" data-tms-ad-report><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"t-content__tags t-content__below-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"m-section-title m-section-title--small\">Keywords for this article<\/div>\n<ul class=\"m-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/france\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"France\">    France<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/emmanuel-macron\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Emmanuel Macron\">    Emmanuel Macron<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/diplomacy\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"diplomacy\">    diplomacy<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/oman\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Oman\">    Oman<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/strait-of-hormuz\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Strait of Hormuz\">    Strait of Hormuz<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/iran-conflict\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Iran war\">    Iran war<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/iran\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Iran\">    Iran<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/middle-east\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Middle East\">    Middle East<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li class=\"m-tags-list__tag\">\n                <a href=\"\/en\/tag\/features\/\" class=\"a-hot-tag\" title=\"Features\">    Features<\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Advertising Why is France betting on Oman amid the Hormuz crisis? Middle East After months&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-middle-east"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1636"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1636\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arabnewsmonitor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}