Tehran: Iran today attacked President George W Bush's planned trip to the Middle East next week, saying the landmark visit was aimed at "interfering" in relations between regional countries.

Bush is due to become the first US president to visit Iran's arch regional enemy Israel in nine years in a bid to hasten the search for peace with the Palestinians.

"We see such a trip as interference in the relations of the countries in the region and propaganda," foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told reporters.

"Of course the countries in the region, regardless of such things, will pursue their bilateral and regional dealings," he added.

Bush is due to arrive in Tel Aviv on Wednesday and will spend three days in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. The trip will also take the US president to Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

As well as pressing for peace in the Middle East, Bush is expected to urge Arab states to pressure Iran over its controversial nuclear programme, which the West fears could be used to make atomic weapons.

Source : PTI