Iranian Cleric Slams Al Khalifa’s “Evil” Act against Sheikh Qassim

Senior Iranian cleric Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi condemned the Manama regime’s move to strip Shiite cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim of his Bahraini citizenship as an “inhumane and evil” measure, saying it is the Al Khalifa rulers who do not belong to Bahrain.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi said the Al Khalifa rulers, who lack wisdom and prudence, are entangled in a dangerous vortex by making hostile moves against the people of Bahrain.

The Al Khalifa regime has taken strange, hazardous measures, such as destroying mosques, imprisoning a large number of Shiites and banning congregational prayers for Shiite Muslims, the Iranian cleric deplored, saying the most recent move, namely revocation of Sheikh Qassim’s citizenship, has put the Manama regime on the verge of collapse.

He then underlined that Sheikh Isa Qassim and his ancestors are all from Bahrain, and if somebody is to be stripped of Bahraini citizenship, it will be the Al Khalifa rulers, whose descendants went to Bahrain from Saudi Arabia’s Najd region.

On Monday, the Manama ruling regime said the citizenship of Sheikh Qassim has been revoked, accusing him of sowing sectarian divisions.

The move has drawn widespread international condemnation and sparked protests in the tiny Persian Gulf country.