Syria foreign minister in first visit to Gulf since conflict: Media

Syria's foreign minister is to head to Oman on Thursday in his first visit to a Gulf country since the beginning of the civil war in 2011, according to Syrian media.

"Walid Muallem will head Thursday to Muscat, the Omani capital, for his first visit to an Arab state in nearly four years, at the official invitation of his Omani counterpart Yussef bin Alawi," reported the Al-Watan daily, which is close to the government.

Muscat has not cut diplomatic and political ties to Damascus, unlike other Gulf countries, Al-Watan said.

The publication also wrote of a potential meeting in Muscat between top diplomats from Syria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.

Iran, along with Russia, is a key backer of the embattled government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Saudi Arabia is a prominent supporter of the opposition.