DAVOS, Jan 23: Iran plans to put about a dozen jailed Al Qaeda suspects on trial, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said on Friday. "They are currently in prison.

Their relations are cut off from outside and they are going to be tried," Mr Kharazi said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

It was the first time that Iran had said it would put suspects of Osama bin Laden's network on trial. The most important Al Qaeda figure that Western intelligence agencies say may be in Iran is an Egyptian - Saif al Adel, the network's security chief.

Mr Kharazi declined to comment on whether Iran was holding Mr Adel, saying he could not name any of the suspects for security reasons. Asked if they were important figures, he said: "Al Qaeda members are very important to everyone these days because of operating in different places."

Washington has said Al Qaeda militants based in Iran plotted suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia in May and has demanded Iran help bring them to justice. Iran denies Al Qaeda operated from its territory.

A recent warming of relations between Iran and Egypt has prompted security analysts to speculate that Tehran might hand over Mr Adel to Cairo. Asked when relations with Egypt would be formally re-established, Mr Kharazi said: "We are working towards that direction."-Reuters