Bahrain FM: Iran must stop making ‘irresponsible statements,’ ‘empty threats’

Iran must stop making “irresponsible statements” and “empty threats” in an attempt to create tension in the region, Bahrain’s foreign ministry said on Thursday, in response to Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi’s statements criticizing Bahrain for hosting “provocative” conferences.

Iran on Thursday condemned Bahrain for hosting a conference on Gulf maritime security and for its “anti-Iran” rhetoric accusing Tehran of attacking tankers in sensitive waters.

“Bahrain’s government should not become the facilitator of common enemies’ wishes and schemes in the region,” said Mousavi in a statement published on his Telegram channel.

The Bahraini foreign ministry said in a statement that Iran’s remarks on the conference reflect its destabilizing approach to regional security and its “determination to stop all efforts and initiatives that are aimed at enforcing security, stability, and freedom in the Arabian Gulf and the whole region, many of which Iran has benefited from over the years.”

The statement stressed that Bahrain’s decision to host conferences affirms its policy to provide security and peace through collective actions with its allies and international partners.

Bahrain on July 31 hosted a conference on Gulf maritime security amid US-Iran tensions. Bahrain said the meeting was to discuss the “current regional situation” and blasted “the repeated attacks and unacceptable practices of Iran and the terrorist groups linked to it.”

Iran has seized three tankers in strategic Arabian Gulf waters since last month, including a British-flagged vessel.

The US and its Gulf allies have also accused the Islamic Republic of carrying out several attacks on ships in the region, which Tehran denies.

Manama said last month that it and the US would co-host a conference on “maritime and air navigation security,” set for October.

Britain said Monday it will form a joint maritime taskforce with the US to protect merchant vessels in the Gulf.

(With AFP)