TEHRAN: As part of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s visit to Iran, both the countries yesterday signed several agreements, including enhancing of security cooperation and coordination, at the Al Hafi ziyah palace in Saad Abad compound.

Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, minister responsible for foreign affairs, inked the pact on behalf of the Sultanate while Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki signed it on his government’s behalf. The agreement relates to exchange of information, combating infiltration, smuggling and crime.

Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah and Manouchehr Mottaki also signed an MoU on establishment of an education centre to teach persian in Muscat under the supervision of the Ministry of Education. The two sides also signed agreements on holding executive programmes for cooperation in cultural, scientific, educational, media, social and sports fields.

The ministers also signed the minutes of the meeting and exchanged documents on avoiding double taxation which covers taxes resulting from investments between both the governments.

Meanwhile, Oman Oil Company (OOC) and NBC international company inked pacts to develop urea production plant, scheduled to be set up at Assaluyah, southern Iran. Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, minister of commerce and industry and chairman of OOC signed the agreement for the Sultanate while Iranian Oil Minister Ghulam Hussein Nozari inked the pact for his government.

The Hurmuz Petrochemicals Company has been set up as a joint venture to develop the project, officials said. Oman oil and Hirbodan EPC also signed a MoU to build a power generation plant at Queshm Free Zone. The MoU was signed by Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, OOC chairman and said Marjaffi, chairman of Hirbodan EPS.