Iran and Italy sign anti-crime pact

Iran and Italy have agreed to step up their joint efforts to combat illegal immigration and organised crime.

The Italian Interior Minister, Enzo Bianco, told a news conference in Teheran that one of the first measures would be the establishment of a committee of experts from the two countries.

The committee would advise on how to tackle a range of illegal activities, from forgery, money laundering and smuggling works of art to illegal immigration.

The agreement -- countersigned by the Iranian Interior Minister, Abdolvahed Musavi-Lari -- also covers measures to combat international terrorism. The agreement strengthens a protocol signed two years ago between Rome and Teheran.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service