As French President Emmanuel Macron meets Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman amid efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, François Picard welcomes Dawud Al Ansari, a geopolitics and energy analyst. As diplomacy in the Gulf is once again being tested by renewed military tensions, Al Ansari offers a nuanced assessment from an Omani perspective, arguing that Oman is playing an increasingly valuable strategic role. Rather than portraying the Sultanate as simply another Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) monarchy, he contends that this small but influential nation has deliberately cultivated its influence through neutrality, mediation and pragmatic diplomacy. While regional security remains fragile despite recent agreements, he argues that Oman will continue to prioritise stability, free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and dialogue between regional adversaries.