Iran’s ambassador designate to Bahrain has warned against the presence of non-Persian Gulf armies in the region, saying that they were destabilizing it.

Iran is determined to export gas to the United Arab Emirates and has formed a committee to help overcome a pricing dispute that has delayed the project since 2006, an Iranian official was quoted as saying on yesterday.

This week, the Osnabrück Symphony will be the first western classical ensemble to perform in Iran since the Islamic revolution in 1979. German organizers hope the event will contribute to inter-cultural understanding.