Iran and Belarus Wednesday signed a deal worth an initial 250 million dollars to develop an oil field in southwest Iran, the latest sign of the expanding relationship between the two US foes.

Japanese firm Nippon Oil is to start paying for Iranian oil in yen, rather than in US dollars.

An earthquake measuring 3.5 on the Richter scale jolted the outskirts of the city of Fathabad in Iran’s southern province of Fars on Wednesday.