Iran wants progress in Bahrain normalization, addressing security concerns with UAE

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said that Tehran hoped for steps to be made towards the normalization of ties with Bahrain, state news agency IRNA reported on Sunday.

Bahrain had cut ties with Iran back in 2016, in support of and solidarity with Saudi Arabia after its embassy was attacked in Tehran and the Kingdom subsequently severed all diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic.

Manama has also long accused Tehran of stoking unrest among its people, a charge the latter denies.

“An agreement was reached two months ago for Iranian and Bahraini technical delegations to visit the embassies of the two countries,” IRNA cited Amirabdollahian as saying.

He added: “We hope that some of the obstacles between Tehran and Manama will be removed and the two sides will take basic steps to reopen the embassies.”

Amirabdollahian’s statements follow the March 10 signing of the landmark agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, brokered by China, to re-establish diplomatic ties and reopen embassies after seven years of heightened tensions. Gulf countries welcomed the agreement.

The Iranian FM added that Tehran had “security issues” with the UAE, and consistently discussed security concerns during visits, including any threats Israel posed to Iran from UAE territory.

The UAE and Bahrain normalized ties with Israel in September 2020 after signing the US-brokered Abraham Accords.