TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Top Iranian and Omani military officials discussed on Tuesday expanding cooperation and relations between their countries' armed forces.

The discussion was held as Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri met with his visiting Omani counterpart, Abdullah Khamis Al Raisi, in Tehran, according to Defa Press, a news outlet affiliated with the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces.

Baqeri described the relations between Iran and Oman as "friendly, historical and long-lasting," calling for further expanding bilateral relations in light of the recent developments in the West Asia region.

Baqeri stressed that the two countries have numerous capacities to promote interactions between the two armed forces in areas including counter-terrorism training.

He invited Oman to participate in an upcoming naval exercise held annually in the Indian Ocean, emphasizing that beefing up maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman is necessary to fight smuggling and ensure shipping safety.

The Omani military chief, for his part, said Oman always stresses the importance of expanding relations with Iran at all levels.

He noted that the two sides have had good coordination to promote interactions on issues such as holding maritime drills and military education.

Regarding the recent developments in West Asia, he said, "We will make utmost efforts to promote rationalism in the region," expressing regret that some foreign powers seek to harm convergence among regional states.

According to Defa Press, the two sides also discussed the regional situation, especially in the Gaza Strip, and condemned the "evil" plan proposed last week by U.S. President Donald Trump to relocate Gazans from their homeland.

Baqeri condemned Israel's pursuit of "expansionist policies," emphasizing that unity and solidarity among regional countries are the sole way to counter Israel. Enditem

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