Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday called for broader ties among Gulf states, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Bilateral and multilateral comprehensive relations among Gulf and Sea of Oman littoral countries would secure regional peace, stability, and full security, Ahmadinejad said after receiving the credentials of the new Ambassador of Oman to Iran Sheikh Yahya bin-Abdullah.

The Iranian president pointed out that "the enemies" are after tension among regional countries and sow the seeds of discord among Islamic nations in order to secure their own illegitimate interests.

Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad hailed the good relations between Iran and Oman and called for further cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

"Iran and Oman have a long record of good and broad relations and today, too, there are numerous unused potential in the region and our two countries for further expansion of ties and cooperation," he said.

"Iran and Oman should try to strengthen the pillars of cooperation and brotherhood in the region by further expanding cooperation and broadening the sphere of bilateral ties," he added.

For his part, the new Omani ambassador to Iran referred to the long record of good and friendly relations between the two nations, evaluating their ties as "good and stable" during the past years.

"Oman is willing to have broader ties and closer cooperation with Iran in various fields, and to be benefited from the valuable experience of the Islamic Republic of Iran in scientific, technological and industrial fields," Abdullah said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 17, 2007)