GCC summit discusses means of improving relations with Iran

Gulf officials said on Thursday that the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states who will meet in Muscat, Oman tomorrow will concentrate their discussions on improving relations with their neighbor, Iran.

An Arab Gulf official who asked not to be identified said on Thursday that the consultation summit of the GCC member states which include Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will also discuss the idea of signing limited defense agreements with Iran in the future.

Meanwhile, Iranian Defense Minister Admiral Ali Shamkhani is currently visiting Saudi Arabia in the first visit of its kind since the launching of the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979.

Earlier this month, Arab Gulf officials said that the security treaties recently signed between the Gulf states and Iran concentrated on fighting crime and drug trafficking.

On the other hand, Gulf officials indicated that the leaders of the GCC will also discuss the anti-missile early-warning systems which the US proposes to sell to the Gulf states.

Another official stated that the Muscat summit will discuss these early warning systems, but he ruled out a decision to be taken to this effect.