Russian President Vladimir Putin (r) welcomes Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator (r), during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, December 4.

MOSCOW, Dec. 4--Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday Iran’s nuclear program should be transparent and remain under the International Atomic Energy Agency’s supervision.
Putin was speaking at his residence outside Moscow during a meeting with Saeed Jalili, Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator and secretary of Supreme National Security Council, Interfax news agency reported.
Putin said he hopes “all Iranian programs in the nuclear sphere will be open and transparent and, will be carried out under the control of this international organization“.
“We are very pleased that contacts between Iran and the IAEA have been stepped up. We welcome the expansion of this cooperation,“ Putin was quoted as saying.
“In bilateral relations, our cooperation is intensifying in almost all sectors,“ Putin said.
Russia is helping Iran build a nuclear reactor and has said it has no evidence that Iran is trying to build nuclear weapons as alleged by the United States and its European allies.
Iran has insisted it is only building up a civilian energy program and a report issued by the US intelligence community on Monday said US allegations about Iran’s atomic goals have been exaggerated for at least two years.
Putin and US President George W. Bush discussed the Iranian nuclear program in a telephone conversation on Tuesday, a Kremlin official was quoted as saying by Interfax.

TEHRAN, Dec. 4--President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proposed the establishment of an international Islamic court to prosecute international criminals.
The president made the proposal in his opening speech at the first meeting of 57 judiciary heads from Muslim states, which opened in Tehran on Tuesday, IRNA reported.
“An international Islamic court should be established to prosecute international criminals, war criminals and those who audaciously violate others’ rights,“ he said.
Addressing judiciary heads of Muslim states from Asia, Africa and Central Asia, President Ahmadinejad stressed that formation of the international Islamic court is a ’must’.
“This will present to the world a pattern of justice-based judgment and free the Islamic states from referring to others,“ he said.
He also urged Muslim scholars in the field of Islamic laws “to formulate a plan for holding consultations to review ways of prosecution“.
The president also called for the establishment of a judiciary union by Muslim states for following up suggestions discussed during the three-day meeting.
“Respecting justice is the basis of all judiciary affairs,“ he said.
In another part of his speech, Ahmadinejad regretted that some international bodies, particularly the UN Security Council, were not based on justice.
“The procedure ruling over the Security Council is an indication of injustice with its all-inclusive and global effects,“ he said.
He criticized that “certain members of the council enjoy special rights...and full immunity“.
“We regret that many world interactions have distanced themselves from justice under the pressure and bullying of certain powers,“ he said.
Meanwhile, Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi called on Tuesday for the establishment of an Islamic judiciary union by Muslim states.
“Iran believes that Islamic states have many legal and judiciary commonalities, which could lead to further unity among Muslim nations and states,“ he said, expressing hope that the would lead to establishment of the union. The meeting is attended by delegates from 57 Asian, African and Central Asian Muslim states.
Ayatollah Shahroudi stressed that Islamic precepts are used as the basis for the judiciary systems of Muslim countries.

TEHRAN, Dec. 4--Defense Minister Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said a joint military force involving all Persian Gulf states for combating insecurity, smuggling, piracy and terrorism will guarantee regional security.
Najjar made the remark on Tuesday in a meeting with Brigadier Saud bin Soleiman bin Nasser Al-Hasbi, the head of the Omani military delegation attending the Iran-Oman Military Commission, ISNA reported.
The minister referred to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s attendance at the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council summit as a turning point in relations between Iran and the southern Persian Gulf littoral states.
“Regional security and all-out development will be established through friendly ties and regional cooperation,“ he said.
Najjar stated that the project of ’Iranophobia’ conducted by foreign forces in the region is aimed at implementing their goal of looting the region’s resources.
The minister noted that PGCC’s invitation of Iran’s president shows that the council’s leaders wish to expand relations with Iran.
Najjar expressed Iran’s readiness to transfer the country’s military technology to Persian Gulf littoral states.
Hasbi, for his part, said Iran and Oman have had long-lasting defense cooperation, adding that Oman will try to expand cooperation.
He expressed satisfaction over his visit to Iran and underlined the importance of developing Iran-Oman ties.

KUWAIT CITY, Dec. 4--Co-Chair of Iran-Kuwait Parliamentary Friendship Group Mohammad Saeed Ansari conferred on Monday with Speaker of Kuwaiti National Assembly Jasem Al-Kharafi on expansion of parliamentary cooperation.
Kharafi said Kuwait will broaden all-out cooperation with Iran, IRNA reported. “Kuwait believes in the wisdom of Iranian officials to thwart the threat to regional security and stability,“ he said.
The Iranian envoy, for his part, underlined that Tehran seeks to broaden relations with its neighboring states.
“Iran attaches high importance to expansion of ties with members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC),“ he said.
Ansari said the participation of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the PGCC summit proves that Tehran wants to bolster brotherly ties with its neighbors.

TEHRAN, Dec. 4--A Malaysian minister announced plans to boost educational and research ties with Iran, calling for the activation of a bilateral MoU signed earlier.
Malaysia’s Minister of Higher Education Mustafa Mohamed, who wrapped up his four-day visit to Iran on Sunday, made the remark in a press conference in Tehran prior to his departure, Presstv reported.
Mustafa added that Iran is a scientifically developed country, especially in the fields of biotechnology, chemistry and aerospace.
He hoped that a bilateral memorandum of understanding on educational cooperation, which was signed in 2003 by Iran and Malaysia, would be activated.
Mustafa also declared that a joint committee has been established to take the initiative to further enhance bilateral educational ties.

In our Dec. 3 edition, an error occurred with respect to the page 2 news titled “Oman Military Accords Signed“.
Communications Office of the Armed Forces Headquarters said the agreements are expected to be signed on Wednesday. Any inconvenience is regretted.