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Iran slams Bahrain’s ‘provocative’ Gulf military conference
TEHRAN, Aug 8, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Iran on Thursday hit out at Bahrain for
hosting a “provocative” conference on Gulf maritime security and for its
“anti-Iran” rhetoric accusing Tehran of attacking tankers in sensitive
waters.
Bahrain said the July 31 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” . The tiny Gulf monarchy, which
hosts the US Fifth Fleet, did not specify who attended but Britain’s Guardian
newspaper reported the UK had called for the meeting with other European
countries and the United States.
“Bahrain’s government should not become the facilitator of common enemies’
wishes and schemes in the region,” said foreign ministry spokesman Abbas
Mousavi in a statement published on his Telegram channel.
“The security of regional countries is inseparable and it is not possible
for some to be secure at the cost of others’ insecurity. It is expected that
regional countries prevent foreigners’ escalatory interventions by exercising
prudence and foresight,” he added.
Mousavi “condemned the anti-Iran measures taken by Bahrain’s government
including hosting suspicious and provocative conferences,” the statement
said.
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.
Iran has seized three tankers in strategic Gulf waters since last month,
including a British-flagged vessel.
The United States and its Gulf allies have also accused the Islamic
republic of carrying out several mysterious attacks on ships in the region,
which Tehran denies.
The ship seizures came after British Royal Marines helped to impound a
tanker carrying Iranian oil off the British overseas territory of Gibraltar
on July 4, alleging it was destined for the EU-sanctioned Syria, an
accusation Iran denies.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1422 hrs