Iranian president heads for Doha today

The director of the Iranian president's office, Muhammad Ali Abtahi, has described relations between Iran and Qatar as excellent. Abtahi added that Iranian President Muhammad Khatami, who will visit Doha today, will discuss with Qatari officials strategic relations between the two countries.

Abtahi added that the subject of waters will be among the issues to be debated during the visit, in reference to a Qatari project to import potable water from Iran.

Concerning security in the Gulf region, Abtahi stressed that the security in Iran is related to the security of the Gulf states, adding that the political will exists on the two sides to ensure collective security.

On the conflict between Iran and the United Arab Emirates over three Gulf islands, Abtahi announced Iran's support for settling the disputes with the UAE over the three islands on the context of Islamic cooperation. He added, "We always welcome relations with the UAE and the visit of the UAE foreign minister to Tehran."

Mowahedi said the summit's agenda will tackle the issues of the Gulf region's security and problems of concern to the Islamic world as Khatami is the current head of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

Meanwhile, the Iranian president and members of his accompanying delegation, currently visiting Saudi Arabia, arrived on Monday in al-Madina al-Munawara to visit the Holy Mosque of the Prophet Muhammad and pray in it.

Earlier in the day on Monday, the Iranian president held a tour of the project to expand the prophet's mosque in Mecca.