Saudi Arabia refuses to be drawn into Bahrain affairs over Al-Sadr comments

Saudi Arabia refuses to be drawn into Bahrain affairs over Al-Sadr comments
Bahrain slammed a statement made by Iraqi cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr in which he mentioned “Bahrain and defamed its leadership.” (File/AFP)
Updated 29 April 2019
Follow

Saudi Arabia refuses to be drawn into Bahrain affairs over Al-Sadr comments

Saudi Arabia refuses to be drawn into Bahrain affairs over Al-Sadr comments
  • An official source at the Foreign Ministry confirmed that Saudi Arabia refused to interfere in the internal affairs of Bahrain
  • Bahrain on Sunday slammed a statement made by Iraqi cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr in which he mentioned “Bahrain and defamed its leadership”

An official source at the Foreign Ministry confirmed that Saudi Arabia refused to interfere in the internal affairs of Bahrain, the Saudi Press Agency said on Monday.

The source also expressed Saudi Arabia’s aspiration for a strong relationship between Bahrain and Iraq, who contribute to regional security and stability.

Bahrain on Sunday slammed a statement made by Iraqi cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr in which he mentioned “Bahrain and defamed its leadership,” Bahrain’s state agency BNA reported.

Bahrain said it considered the statement as an “unacceptable insult to the kingdom of Bahrain and its leadership, a blatant interference in the country’s internal affairs, an obvious violation of international law and conventions and an abuse of the nature of relations between Bahrain and Iraq.”

Foreign Minister of Bahrain, Khalid Al-Khalifa slammed Al-Sadr’s comments on Saturday, calling on the Iraqi cleric to focus his concerns in Iraq.

“Instead of putting his finger on the wound in Iraq by directing his words to the Iranian regime that controls his country, he chose the path of safety and addressed his words to Bahrain,” Al-Khalifa said in a Tweet.