Retaliation for Gulf state’s expulsion of the Iranian ambassador

Iran has expelled a senior official from Bahrain’s embassy in Tehran in apparent retaliation after the Sunni-ruled Gulf state did the same to its envoy in Manama.

“The number two official in Bahrain’s embassy in Iran is persona non grata and Mr Bassam al-Dossari must leave Iran’s territory within 72 hours,” the official IRNA news agency quoted a foreign ministry statement as saying late Friday.

Bahrain on Thursday recalled its ambassador from Iran and ordered Tehran’s envoy to leave within 72 hours, citing Iranian “interference” in its affairs.

The Gulf kingdom of Bahrain, with a majority Shiite Muslim population ruled by a Sunni dynasty, has suffered unrest since a pro-democracy uprising in 2011.

Iran has rejected “the baseless accusations from Bahrain”.

The kingdom is “evading its internal problems by passing the buck, instead of solving them” Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian told state television on Friday.

“Tehran has not and will not interfere in Bahrain’s internal affairs and reacts accordingly to Bahrain’s actions.”

On Friday, Bahrain took its protest to the United Nations by submitting a complaint against Iran.

“Iran has chosen the path of escalation in an attempt to exert control over its neighbours by continuing to interfere in internal affairs” of neighbouring countries, BNA news agency quoted Foreign Minister Khaled bin Ahmed al-Khalifa as telling UN chief Ban Ki-moon.

Bahrain is part of an arab coalition, led by Iran’s regional rival Saudi Arabia, that has been striking Tehran-backed Yemeni rebels for over six months.

The coalition accuses Iran of arming rebels in Bahrain and Yemen.

Authorities in Bahrain said Wednesday that they had uncovered a large stash of weapons and arrested a number of people suspected of having links with Iran and Iraq.

A statement published on the interior ministry’s website said arms and explosives were discovered in a house in the mainly Shiite town of Nuwaidrat, south of the capital Manama.

The cache included a tonne and a half of C4 explosives and other explosive material, as well as automatic rifles, pistols, and hand grenades, according to the ministry.

It said several suspects were detained for allegedly having “links with Iran and Iraq”.

(AFP)