“We hope that by respecting the public’s democratic demands the Bahraini government prepares the ground for talks,” Amir Abdollahian said on Friday.

The people of Bahrain have “for more than two years been patiently demanding civil rights through democratic and peaceful means but have instead faced murder, suppression, expulsion from their jobs and threats”, he added.

The Iranian diplomat also rejected allegations by Bahraini officials of Iran’s interference in the domestic affairs of the tiny Persian Gulf country.

Anti-government protesters have been holding peaceful demonstrations across Bahrain since mid-February 2011, calling for an end to the Al Khalifa dynasty’s over-40-year rule.

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 13 to help Manama crack down on peaceful protestors.

So far, tens of people have been killed, hundreds have gone missing and more than 1,000 others have been injured.