Iran and Bahrain extended a security agreement on Thursday to increase bilateral cooperation in combating terrorism and drug trafficking, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and his visiting Bahraini counterpart Sheik Khalid Bin Ahmed al-Khalifa met and singed the renewed agreement, which was originally singed five years ago.

Under the security agreement, Tehran and Manama would work together to further strengthen security cooperation in such fields as fighting narcotic drugs trafficking, organized crimes and terrorism.

They also agreed to set up a joint security committee, IRNA said.

The Bahraini foreign minister also met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and conveyed a message from Bahrain's King Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to him.

In the meeting, Ahmadinejad said that big powers have reached an impasse in terms of military, economic and political issues.

"Finally, bullying powers would leave our region. They are not capable of dealing with their own business and are faced with political, military and economic problems," Ahmadinejad said.

Referring to Iran's relations with the regional countries, the president said that enjoying amicable ties with other nations would help further political and economic relations with them.

Ahmadinejad urged regional countries to resolve their problems in cooperation with each other, saying that "Iran always has a message of friendship and brotherhood for all countries both in the region and in the entire world."

For his part, the Bahraini foreign minister said expansion of bilateral relations between regional states would prevent foreign forces to continue their presence in the region.

(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2008)