Bahrain, Iran to restore relations

The Bahraini Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammad bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, is reported to have announced that his country is to exchange ambassadors with Iran.

Quoted by the Kuwaiti news agency, Sheikh Khalifa said recent talks with Iran were good and the two countries had agreed to boost bilateral relations.

Sheikh Khalifa has been attending a meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers in Kuwait.

Ties have been strained since 1996, when Bahrain accused Iran of supporting efforts to overthrow its government by force.

Iran denied the accusations.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service