TEHRAN -- Iran and Kuwait here Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for military cooperation as Kuwaiti Defense Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak al-Hamad wound up a four-day visit to the Islamic Republic.

In the memorandum, which was singed by Hamad and his Iranian counterpart Rear-Admiral Ali Shamkhani, the two sides called for exchange of views among defense officials of the two Persian Gulf states on defense and security issues in the region and the world.

Shamkhani hailed the agreement as a "turning point" in defense ties of the Islamic Republic with littoral states of the Persian Gulf and an "achievement" for the country in its "constructive cooperation" with members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council.

"The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is a suitable pattern for strengthening and expanding constructive defense and security cooperation in the region," he added.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has now put behind with success its trust-building efforts with regional countries and entered a new stage to expand a model for regional cooperation," Shamkhani went on to say.