Iran cleric raps Bahrain’s anti-Shia move

A senior Iranian cleric has censured the Bahraini regime for expelling the representative of Iraq-based Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali al-Sistani.

According to Press TV, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Nouri Hamedani said in the holy city of Qom on Saturday “We strongly condemn such measures by the al-Khalifa and announce that we will never leave… Bahraini people alone.”

On Wednesday, Bahraini authorities expelled Ayatollah Sistani’s representative, Hussein al-Najati, in the latest sign of tension with the Shia majority in the Persian Gulf country.

Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani said the move is a “sign of the Al Khlifa’s fall.”

Manama accuses Najati of not being transparent and says he did not have the official approval of the regime.

On Thursday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also slammed Najati’s expulsion.

Najati was responsible for collecting and redistributing religious donations on behalf of Ayatollah Sistani.