RNA - Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi on Friday dismissed an allegation leveled by Bahrain’s Public Security Chief Major General Tariq Al Hassan, who claimed on Thursday that Bahraini forces had foiled a terror operation with links to Iran after discovering a weapon depot in the northeastern village of Dair.
“The Bahraini government every so often makes announcements about the arrest of a number of the country’s nationals under the pretext of the fight against terrorist cells and claims that they had been in contact with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Qassemi said.
“The international community knows well that the six-year domestic crisis in Bahrain is the result of a security approach by the [Bahraini] government toward civil and peaceful protests by the majority of the country’s people,” the Iranian spokesperson added.
Qassemi once again urged the Al Khalifah regime to avoid blaming others and leveling accusations against its neighboring countries, which is an old-fashioned and inefficient policy.
He said the Manama regime had better yield to the international community’s repeated demands to stop the security approach and start negotiations with the opposition leaders.
Anti-regime protesters have held demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis ever since a popular uprising began in the kingdom on February 14, 2011.
They are demanding that the Al Khalifah dynasty relinquish power and a just system representing all Bahrainis be established.
On March 14, 2011, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to Bahrain to assist Manama in its crackdown on peaceful protesters. Scores of people have lost their lives and hundreds of others have been injured or arrested.
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