Qatar and Kuwait have joined the nations praising the nuclear agreement struck between Iran and a group of world powers, while Israel is criticizing the pact.
The deal reached in Geneva early Sunday calls for Iran to limit its enrichment of uranium and freeze reactor construction. In return, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany agreed to ease some international sanctions on Iran's economy.
Qatar's foreign ministry welcomed the deal in a statement late Sunday, characterizing it as a step toward ensuring peace and security in the region. Qatar also called for making the Middle East a "nuclear-weapon-free zone."
Kuwait also welcomed the agreement, with Foreign Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah telling the state-run KUNA news agency that he hoped it would lead to a permanent deal to defuse tension and ensure regional security.