‘Who are you to pass judgment on Iran?’, Bahrain FM told

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has dismissed the recent “rude and cheap” remarks by the Bahraini foreign minister, saying he is in no position to comment on Iran.

“You are too petty and lowly to comment about the proud Iran, which is the symbol of an ancient and glorious civilization,” Qassemi said on Saturday.

In a series of tweets on Thursday, Bahraini Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifah leveled baseless allegations against the Islamic Republic, one of which read, “Iran is eternal, but the Islamic Republic is ephemeral.”

Qassemi said the ancient land of Iran with highly educated people has a quite unique history, civilization, culture, democracy and is among the most independent countries in the region.

Iran “is a nightmare for failing Bahraini rulers and other reactionary regimes which have no skill but to suppress the demands of people and commit crimes against them with the support of extra-regional countries,” the Iranian spokesperson pointed out.

Thousands of anti-regime protesters have held demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis ever since a popular uprising began in the country in mid-February 2011.

They are demanding that the Al Khalifah dynasty relinquish power and allow a just system representing all Bahrainis to be established.

Manama has gone to great lengths to clamp down on any sign of dissent. On March 14, 2011, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to assist Bahrain in its crackdown.

Scores of people have lost their lives and hundreds of others sustained injuries or got arrested as a result of the Al Khalifah regime’s crackdown.