TEHRAN President Mohammad Khatami told visiting Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad ibn Jassem ibn Jabr al-Thani here on Sunday that friendly relations between Iran and Qatar can be a blessing for the region and the world of Islam. President Khatami expressed hope that Qatar's future take-over of the periodical chairmanship of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) from Iran would serve to bring closer the two countries.

Al-Thani extended Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad ibn Khalifa al-Thani's official invitation to President Khatami to pay an official visit to Qatar and said that his country has always been for expansion of relations and cooperation with regional states. Meanwhile, Iranian and Qatari foreign ministers in a meeting here on Sunday exchanged views on bilateral relations and on the most important issues concerning the region and the world of Islam, especially the Kosovo crisis.

Kamal Kharrazi and al-Thani, stressing good relations between Tehran and Doha, called for expansion of the ties. Kharrazi told his Qatari counterpart that policy of President Mohammad Khatami's administration is based on detente, confidence building and contribution. He expressed hope that the visit would bring about important achievements in the areas of culture, politics and economy. Al-Thani said for his part that his country attaches high significance to its age-old and good relations with Iran, believing that they should be further expanded.

He said the upcoming visit to Qatar of President Khatami would be an important step that would bring about good and favorable results. The Qatari foreign minister, upon his arrival talking to the reporters said that the existing relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) are at the best possible level.