DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's foreign minister traveled to Oman for a daylong visit Monday with officials in the sultanate, which has served as a crucial link between Iran and the U.S. in the past.

Mohammad Javad Zarif was met by Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, the minister responsible for foreign affairs, on his arrival in Muscat.

Topics of discussion included the wars in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, and other issues, according to Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency.

Zarif called Oman's relations with Iran "exemplary" while on his visit.

"We also live in a very difficult neighborhood and we want to engage in continuous consultation," Zarif told Omani state television.

Oman, a Gulf Arab country on the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is a U.S. ally and has been ruled by Sultan Qaboos bin Said since 1970. It has served as a mediator between Iran and the West to secure prisoner releases in the past. In 2013, it hosted the secret talks between Iran and the U.S. that later led to the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Zarif is due to travel to Qatar on Tuesday. His visit to the peninsular nation comes as four Arab nations are boycotting Qatar over its alleged support for extremists and what they say are Qatar's overly warm ties to Iran. Qatar denies supporting extremists.