Iran signs security deals with three Gulf states

Manama: Iran has signed security agreements with three Gulf countries, the country's defence minister, Ahmad Vahidi said.

The Iranian minister said that the bilateral pacts with Qatar, Oman and Kuwait stipulated that these states will not allow their territories to be used for attacks against either Iran or any of the other signatories.

The agreements includes several clauses as part of joint defence, the minister was quoted as telling Al Jazeera television station.

Kuwaiti military sources told Al Rai daily that Kuwait did not sign a direct military agreement with Tehran as stated by Vahidi.

"Kuwait is invariably committed politically and militarily not to allow its soil to be used to attack other countries," the unnamed sources told Al Rai.

The agreement comes at a time when Western countries are pushing for fresh sanctions over the Islamic Republic's controversial nuclear programme.

A Western proposal for sanctions includes a call for restricting new Iranian banks abroad and urges "vigilance" against the Islamic Republic's central bank, diplomats said.

Russian pilots asked to leave

In another development, Iran has given Russian commercial pilots working in the Islamic Republic two months to leave the country as it has no need for them, Transport Minister Hamid Behbahani was quoted as saying.

The move is a further sign of strains between Iran and Russia, which has indicated it could back sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear work. Iran has also voiced frustration over Moscow's failure to deliver a defence missile system.