Diplomatic Protest Lodged in Tehran
The Islamic Republic of Iran officially summoned Oman's acting chargé d'affaires in Tehran on Sunday, October 12, 2025, to protest what it described as 'groundless' and 'baseless and misleading' media reports. These reports had linked the deaths of two individuals in Oman to contaminated bottled water imported from Iran. The protest was conveyed by Abdolrasoul Shabibi, director of the Iranian Foreign Ministry's second Persian Gulf department.
Oman's Initial Findings and Actions
The diplomatic incident follows reports from Oman earlier in October 2025 concerning two fatalities. An expatriate woman died on September 29, and an Omani man passed away on October 1, after consuming bottled water from the Iranian brand 'Uranus Star' in the Wilayat of Suwaiq. The Royal Oman Police (ROP) confirmed through laboratory tests that the water was contaminated. Following these deaths, Omani authorities banned the import of all bottled water from Iran and initiated a recall of 'Uranus Star' products from local markets. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also took precautionary measures, banning the import and trade of 'Uranus Star' bottled water and confirming no permits had been issued for its distribution in the country.
Iran's Counter-Claim and Call for Clarification
During the summoning, Iranian official Abdolrasoul Shabibi formally objected to the 'negative media atmosphere' surrounding Iranian products. He emphasized that the incident was 'unrelated to any Iranian beverage product,' asserting it was, in fact, 'a family-related criminal case driven by revenge.' Shabibi urged Omani authorities to swiftly clarify the facts and stressed that such an incident should not be used to stigmatize Iranian goods. Some Iranian media outlets further reported that 'follow-up investigations and supplementary police reports' indicated the contamination was not from the product itself, but rather an employee intentionally added poison to the water to harm their employer.
Omani Response to the Protest
The Omani acting chargé d'affaires, in response to Iran's protest, reportedly reaffirmed the importance of maintaining the 'long-standing and friendly relations' between the two nations. The envoy pledged to promptly convey Iran's concerns to the relevant authorities in Muscat.
5 Comments
Bermudez
Good on Iran for standing up to these groundless accusations and protecting their trade.
Africa
While Iran has a valid point about protecting its trade reputation, Oman's initial actions were a reasonable precaution given confirmed fatalities. A joint, transparent investigation is key here.
Habibi
Why would they ban ALL Iranian water if it was just one isolated criminal incident? Seems suspicious.
ZmeeLove
A family dispute? That completely changes the context. Oman acted too hastily.
Muchacho
A 'revenge case'? That sounds like a very convenient excuse for product contamination.