Kuwaiti premier in rare Iran visit seeks better ties

Tehran: Iran and Kuwait pledged to boost economic cooperation during the first visit to Tehran by a prime minister from the Gulf Arab US ally in more than 30 years, Iranian state media said on Saturday.

In a possible reference to the disputed Arash gas field in the Gulf, Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Rahimi and Kuwaiti Prime Minister Shaikh Nasser Al Mohammad Al Sabah called for "cooperation in connection to the resolution of the continental shelf issue", state broadcaster IRIB said.

They also discussed boosting trade between the two major oil producers and the resumption of halted projects, IRIB said, without elaborating.

"Iran does not observe any limitations in raising the level of the two countries' ties and is prepared to improve exchanges in all fields," Rahimi said.

IRIB quoted the Kuwaiti prime minister as saying: "We are prepared to improve our ties in all fields with the friendly ... country of Iran."

Rahimi, reiterating Iran's objections to the presence of US and other foreign troops in the Middle East, said: "The presence of foreigners has never been useful for any of the Islamic countries in the region.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to contribute to the establishment of sustained peace and security in the Gulf along with other countries of the region," he said.