The election of moderate cleric Hassan Rouhani as Iran's president is seen with optimism among analysts in Oman.
Most analysts moreover see him as the best bet among the eight candidates in Saturday's elections.
According to Gulf News, Turki Al Belushi, journalist who runs Oman's popular news portal Albaladoman.com., said that the reformist in Rouhani raises some hopes for the region, but then one must understand that it is about the ideology that would decide the Iranian policies.
He added that people in Gulf countries are hoping for a new chapter in relations with Iran as well as with the rest of the Arab countries.
Cuneyt Yenigun, an associate professor at the Sultan Qaboos University's College of Economics and Political Sciences, sees Rouhani's election as a good opportunity for the GCC states.
Yenigun said that during his rally, Rouhani had explicitly pledged to reconcile with the world. As a cleric and former Iran nuclear negotiator [2003-2005] he promised to reduce the tension between Iran and the world by addressing sanctions.
More From This Section
He also pointed out that the British Foreign Office, two days before Rouhani's election, called him a constructive man.
The professor added that Rouhani's struggle to ameliorate Iran's relations with the West mean that he would also strive to establish peaceful relations with the GCC
According to the report, Khalid Al Safi Al Haribi, managing director of Tawasul, Oman's only independent non-profit think-tank, said Iranian foreign policy was set within certain boundaries that were unlikely to change as a result of Rouhani's election.