Gas deal sets tone for Larijani's Bahrain visit

Manama: Iran's parliament speaker Ali Larijani will arrive in Bahrain next week on a two-day visit during which he is expected to meet the senior leaders and his counterparts at the lower and upper houses.

Larijani will head a 60-person delegation during the Tuesday-Wednesday visit, diplomatic sources said yesterday.

The speaker will hold talks with Bahrain's foreign minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, who last month called for the creation of a regional forum that includes all Arab countries, Turkey, Iran and Israel.

Shaikh Khalid said that the forum would be the best and only way in 200 years to address all issues affecting the Middle East.

Several countries, including the US and the UK, welcomed the suggestion.

However, Iran has rejected it, saying that Israel could not be trusted.

"Our Bahraini friends know where the real problem lies and why this idea cannot be implemented. The problem of the region is that an illegal regime despite all its claims still thinks of expansion and continuing occupation," said Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran's foreign minister.

"This regime is neither legitimate nor trustworthy."

Framework

Relations between Bahrain and Iran received a boost on Wednesday after Oil and Gas Affairs Minister and National Oil and Gas Authority chairman Dr Abdul Hussain Mirza and Iranian Oil Minister Ghulam Hussain Nowzari signed a framework agreement.

The two sides will start negotiations on building a pipeline to carry natural gas from Iran to Bahrain, a move that would help double Manama's gas supplies in near future.