Iran for good relations with Arab Gulf states

Iran on Monday asserted its eagerness to establish good neighborly relations with the Arab Gulf states and to proceed with strengthening bilateral relations.

The Speaker of the Iranian Shoura council, Ali Akbar Nateq Nouri, was quoted on Monday as saying in pre-departure statement in Muscat before he headed to Kuwait that the countries of the Gulf region are one family which is "now drastically in need of stability and security for its progress and development."

"Foreign presence in the region does not ensure security nor stability," he added. Nouri continued by saying that Iranian President Muhammad Khatami is considering visiting several Gulf Cooperation Council states next year, noting that arrangements for the visit were not taken yet.

Nouri said no change has been made in his country's relations with the US "due to the hegemonic tendency pursued by the US administration," he said.

Later in the day, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al-Sabah met with Nouri and members of his accompanying delegation. In a statement following the meeting, Nouri said, "Such visits deepen and strengthen fraternal relations between Iran and Kuwait."

For his part, Speaker of the Kuwaiti Ummah (Nation) council Ahmad al-Sadoun said Nouri's visit would deepen fraternal relations between Kuwait and Iran.