Iran and Kuwait signed a security agreement late on Tuesday, the second day of Kuwaiti Interior Minister Muhammad Khalid al-Hamad al-Sabah’s visit to Iran.

Fighting drug smuggling, human trafficking, organized crime, unauthorized border crossings, money laundering, and other illegal economic activities, as well as exchanging information were among the provisions of the Iran-Kuwait security agreement.

The Islamic Republic has also signed similar agreements with Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Bahrain, and also plans to sign security agreements with other regional states.

Iran and Kuwait are both Persian Gulf littoral states and were both attacked by the Iraqi Baath regime.

The two countries have similar viewpoints on the threats to regional states, so they are making efforts to boost bilateral relations.

Iranian Interior Minister Abdolvahed Moussavi Lari, after signing the agreement with his Kuwaiti counterpart, mentioned Iran's security concerns, saying that the presence of foreign forces in the Persian Gulf is a threat to regional security and adding that outside forces should not come to the region under the pretext of guaranteeing security.

"The presence of foreigners in the region leads to insecurity," Lari said, echoing the Islamic Republic's strong opposition to the presence of U.S. forces in the strategic Persian Gulf region.

Political analysts believe that security cooperation requires mutual trust among regional countries, which must be strengthened in order to confront common threats.

Iranian President Seyed Mohammad Khatami, during his meeting with the Kuwaiti interior minister, said that common goals and threats bring the states closer together.

There are many good opportunities for cooperation among regional states in various fields, but their ties can not be boosted without establishing security.

The current situation in Iraq makes this reality even clearer. The outcome of the Iraqi crisis will affect not only the Iraqi nation but all the other regional states as well.

So, the Iran-Kuwait security agreement is a step toward strengthening cooperation, dealing more effectively with common threats, and working for the withdrawal of foreign forces from the region.