Oman negates and Iran confirms signing a bilateral military agreement
Oman-Iran, Politics, 4/12/2000

Official sources in the Omani Foreign Ministry denied reports that referred to reaching a defense or military agreement between Oman and Iran, clarifying that the mission of the Omani military delegation headed by General Mohammed Bin Mahfouz El-Aredi, commander of the Omani Air Force, to Tehran was in a technical and routine framework.

Meanwhile, Iranian sources said Tehran signed a defense agreement with Oman, adding that Gholam Ali Rashid, commander of the Iranian armed forces, and Gen. El-Aredi signed a bilateral defense agreement, which is the first of its kind between Iran and one of the Gulf Cooperation Council states.

IRNA said that the visiting omani air force commander major general Muhammad bin Mahfuz al-Arezi conferred with defense minister rear-admiral Ali Shamkhani on sunday. during the meeting, admiral shamkhani told the omani general that the defense-related cooperation between tehran and muscat could set a good example for such cooperation between Iran and other southern gulf states.

IRNA said citing the expansion of all-out cooperation between gulf states as the main pillar of establishing security and stability in the region, "shamkhani said that the deployment of the extensive potentials for boosting regional cooperation would signal a promising future for the region." IRNA said "major general al-arezi said that the sultanate of oman stresses the expansion of all-out relations with the islamic republic of Iran. He also termed as fully successful the implementation of defense agreements between Iran and his country. Based on an agreement signed by the defense ministers of iran and oman, military experts of the two countries every year will be present at military exercises launched by the two countries as observers."

IRNA said "brigadier-general baqaei said the islamic republic of iran is ready to transfer technological know-how to the omani air force and help modernize different sections of omani defence system. He said Iran, relying on its own military force along with the defense system of the neighboring states, will be able to establish peace and security in the region."

Previous Stories:
  Oman's FM confers with Iranian counterpart   (1/24/2000)
  A message from Khatami to Sultan Qaboos   (1/4/2000)
  Omani minister denies mediation between the US and Iran   (10/5/1999)

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