Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah (born January 1, 1945) is a veteran Omani diplomat and politician who served as Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs from 1998 to 2020, effectively acting as Oman's top diplomat while Sultan Qaboos bin Said held the official title of Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is renowned for his role in backchannel diplomacy, particularly between Iran and Western powers including the United States and European nations, contributing to key negotiations such as the Iran nuclear deal. Bin Alawi played a pivotal role in maintaining Oman's neutral and mediation-oriented foreign policy, leveraging the country's strategic location and non-aligned stance to facilitate dialogue among adversarial parties. His career, which began in the 1970s and spanned decades under Sultan Qaboos, exemplifies Oman's tradition of quiet diplomacy and has earned him international respect across the Middle East and beyond. Following his retirement in 2020, he has continued to advise on diplomatic matters while maintaining a relatively private life.