Iran must prove through actions that it is willing to make key policy changes to mend fences with Gulf Arabs, analysts said ahead of a landmark visit by Kuwait's emir.

The weekend visit of Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, whose country currently heads the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Arab summit, is an opportunity for Tehran to turn over a new leaf in Gulf ties, they said.

Qatar could firm up its interest in buying French Rafale fighter planes when its new Emir, Sheikh Tamim Ben Hamad Al Thani visits Paris on June 23, the La Tribune financial website reported on Wednesday.

The contract is of vital importance to the Dassault Aviation group which builds the plane and to the French government.

The Philippines denied Tuesday it was spying on Qatar, after three Filipinos were convicted of espionage in the Gulf state.

One man was sentenced to death and two to life in jail after a court found them guilty of leaking information that could threaten Qatar's national security, foreign department spokesman Charles Jose said.

The Philippines said Monday three Filipinos had been convicted of espionage in Qatar, with one sentenced to death and the others to life in jail.

The trio were sentenced last month by a local court for selling information deemed threatening to Qatar's national security, foreign department spokesman Charles Jose said.

A Syrian court has brought some 30,000 lawsuits over acts related to "terrorism" in the past two years, a pro-regime newspaper in the war-torn country said Sunday.

Among those accused were around 300 citizens of Arab countries other than Syria, said Al-Watan newspaper, which is close to the regime of President Bashar Assad.

A Gulf rights group has called for the release of thousands of prisoners of conscience in the oil-rich Gulf states as it marked what it called Gulf Detainees Day to highlight their plight.

The Gulf monarchies do not allow political parties and criticism of rulers can easily land someone in jail.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam is scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday, in his first official visit abroad since the formation of his cabinet in February.

Salam is expected to meet with Saudi King Abdullah and several top Saudi officials.

A jailed Al-Jazeera journalist who has been on hunger strike for over 100 days said he holds the Egyptian authorities responsible if his health fails, according to a video aired on Wednesday.

Abdullah Elshamy was arrested on August 14 when police broke up a sit-in of supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in Cairo, which led to clashes that killed hundreds.

Qatar, which will host the 2022 football World Cup, said Wednesday it will abolish its controversial sponsorship system for foreign workers as international criticism mounts over their treatment.

It "will be replaced with a system based on employment contracts," as part of a package of labor reforms, said a statement released at a press conference in Doha.

The U.N. Security Council should impose a ceasefire to end the bloodshed in Syria, Qatar's foreign minister said Monday, accusing the Damascus regime of using poison gas against rebel-held areas.

"It is imperative that the U.N. Security Council assume its responsibilities and force the implementation of its resolutions for a ceasefire, to protect the Syrian people from killing and displacement," Khalid al-Attiyah told participants in the Doha Forum.