Manama: Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (BCCI) on Tuesday said that it was suspending its joint business councils with Iran, Iraq and Lebanon.
The BCCI attributed its decision to the "blatant interference" of influential parties in these countries in Bahrain's domestic affairs.
"We decided to freeze the joint councils as senior officials from these countries kept issuing statements that could not be accepted or tolerated and that clashed with the principles and values of good neighbourhood and political relations," the BCCI said.
The suspension of the business council will be lifted only after the countries change their attitudes towards Bahrain, the BCCI said.
"Iran's flagrant interference in Bahrain's internal affairs has been through the media mobilization against Bahrain and the diplomatic moves that targeted Manama and the other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) capitals. Some parties in Lebanon have also worked on creating chaos, boosting tension and sowing divisions between Bahrainis," the chamber of the powerful business community said.
The BCCI cannot tolerate the violation of international norms and the targeting of Bahrain and decided to freeze the joint councils, the chamber said.
