Iran Strongly Rejects Meddling in Bahrain’s Internal Affairs

Speaking on Monday, an Iranian foreign ministry’s official said that Bahraini officials, instead of leveling unfounded accusations against other countries, should change their security approaches towards Bahraini people’s demands, and prepare necessary ground for holding serious talks with opposition groups to end Manama crisis by doing confidence building measures.

Earlier this month, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian categorically rejected the recent allegations raised by Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry about Tehran’s interference in the internal affairs of the tiny Persian Gulf island.

He dismissed the anti-Iran remarks of Bahraini Foreign Minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, and said they are unauthentic and a blame game.

“Tehran does not interfere in internal affairs of the region, including Bahrain,” Amir Abdollahian said.

The Bahraini people’s demand is a domestic issue of Bahrain, which has been denied, and adoption of baseless stances has no effect on settlement of the case, he said.

Anti-government protesters have been holding peaceful demonstrations across Bahrain since mid-February 2011, calling for an end to the al-Khalifa dynasty.

Violence against the defenseless people escalated after a Saudi-led conglomerate of police, security and military forces from the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) member states – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar – were dispatched to the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom on March 2011, to help Manama crack down on peaceful protestors.

So far, tens of protesters have been killed, hundreds have gone missing and thousands of others have been injured.