Iran Dismisses Bahraini Interior Minister’s Remarks


Iran Dismisses Bahraini Interior Minister’s Remarks

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejected the claims raised by Bahraini interior minister who accused Tehran of interfering in the internal affairs of the tiny Persian Gulf state.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham recommended the Bahraini officials on Sunday to “pay serious attention to the civil demands of people in that country that are made in a peaceful manner.”

She also noted that Manama had better stop shifting the blame onto the others and raising “baseless allegations.”

Her comments came in response to remarks by Bahraini Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, who accused Iran of interference in Bahrain.

The Bahraini regime has come under fire from the international community for holding top opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman in custody.

On December 31, 2014, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had called for the immediate release of the senior Shiite cleric.

“Coercive attitudes towards the respected leaders, who have not deviated from peaceful approaches to pursue public demands despite the tough political and security conditions in recent years, will complicate the situation and increase the threats,” Zarif said at the time.

Meantime, the Bahraini public prosecutor on January 4 rejected an appeal to free Sheikh Salman and extended the detention of the prominent cleric by 15 more days.

On December 29, 2014, charges of "inciting violent change of regime through threats and illegal practices," as well as "public insult of the Interior Ministry" were leveled against Salman. The move aroused concern of the United Nations, the European Union as well as Bahrain’s main ally, the US.

 

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