Al-Zayani criticized comments by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister

20 May 2013

RIYADH: The Gulf Cooperation Council yesterday condemned Iranian threats to Bahrain as un-Islamic and asked Tehran to reconsider its approach to Arabian Gulf countries.

GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani criticized comments by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

The Iranian minister had warned the Bahraini leadership “not to pass the red line of the Muslim community”.

Al-Zayani said the Iranian remarks were unacceptable and a disgraceful intervention in the internal affairs of Bahrain and its citizens.

“They contain blatant and dangerous threats in a behavior that is uncharacteristic in international relations and is contrary to all international laws and principles,” he said.

In Manama, the first deputy speaker of Bahraini Representatives Council, Abdullah bin Khalaf Al-Dossari, slammed Iran's "blatant threats."

Al-Dossari was quoted by Bahrain News Agency saying the threats were just additional proofs of Iran's interference in Bahrain's domestic affairs, which, he said, "requires all regional and international sides to be aware of the size of Iran's meddling in Bahrain and the region."

He expressed astonishment over Iran's keenness to present itself to the world as a defender of human rights, while its prisons are full of thousands of innocent politicians and religious figures.

Al-Dossari affirmed that the Kingdom of Bahrain represented a role model in respecting religious freedom for all faiths and creeds, protecting human rights, ensuring decent living for its citizens and promoting citizenship rights among all its citizens, without discrimination or segregation.