Manama: Bahrain’s foreign ministry has summoned separately the charges d’affaires of Iran and Lebanon to protest against statements seen as blatant interference in the kingdom’s domestic affairs.
The ministry said that it summoned the Charge d’affaires of Iran Mohammad Reda Babae and presented him a formal memorandum of protest over the recent statements by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
“Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ambassador Abdullah Abdul Lateef Abdullah expressed the Kingdom of Bahrain’s strong condemnation and rejection of these statements, which are an unacceptable interference in its internal affairs and a violation of the principles of the United Nations as they adversely affect the security and stability of the region and the nature of relations between its countries,” the ministry said.
“The undersecretary stressed the need for full compliance with the principles of good neighbourliness, non-interference in the internal affairs of the kingdom and the respect of its sovereignty and independence. He also emphasised the need to put an immediate end to such irresponsible statements and other forms of interference in Bahraini affairs, and instead pay attention to the Iranian people and work to improve their conditions rather than create unjustified problems with neighbouring countries,” the ministry said in a statement carried by Bahrain News Agency (BNA).
On Wednesday, Khamenei said “the painful events in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, the West Bank and Gaza as well as in other countries in Asia and Africa are tragedies for the Islamic nation that we must address.”
In a separate foreign ministry report on Saturday evening, Undersecretary Abdullah Abdul Lateef Abdullah said that the recent statements by Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of the Hezbollah were “a blatant interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain and a clear infringement on its sovereignty and independence”.
Nasrallah’s statements also carry a flawed and biased description of the situation in Bahrain and aim to damage relations between brothers, the undersecretary added as the ministry summoned the Charge d’affaires of Lebanon Ebrahim Elias Assaf and presented him an official memorandum of protest.
“The undersecretary called on the Republic of Lebanon to take prompt deterrent legal actions and decisive measures about such remarks that are harmful to the relations between the two countries and the two brotherly peoples, and ensure the immediate and unequivocal cessation of all forms of interference in Bahrain’s internal affairs especially since the terrorist party is a partner in the Lebanese government,” the ministry said, BNA reported.
Abdul Lateef stressed that Bahrain will take all necessary steps to protect its interests, preserve its security and stability and ensure the safety of its people.
In July, Bahrain had summoned the Iranian acting charge d’affaires and handed him an official protest memorandum following statements by Khamenei against the kingdom.
In a sermon on Eid Al Fitr, Khamenei said Iran would never stop supporting its friends in the region and the “oppressed” people of Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain and Lebanon.
However, Manama rejected the statement as “a flagrant and unacceptable interference in Bahrain’s internal affairs, a blatant encroachment on its sovereignty and independence and a violation of the UN and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation [OIC] principles.”
