Dubai: Bahrain said Monday it is severing diplomatic ties with Iran, a day after its ally Saudi Arabia cut ties with the Islamic republic amid escalating tensions over the execution of a cleric.
Manama ordered Tehran’s diplomats “to leave the kingdom within 48 hours,” BNA state news agency said on Twitter.
On Sunday, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) condemned the “barbaric” attacks on the Saudi embassy in the Iranian capital Tehran and the Saudi consulate in the northeastern city of Mashad.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that based on a decision by the Cabinet of Ministers, it summoned the charge d’affaires and handed him a memorandum on the matter, the statement issued on Monday afternoon said.
Attacks on Saudi mission condemned
Bahrain follows Saudi Arabia in cutting Iran diplomatic ties
How the attacks unfolded
The ministry said in a statement that the decision was taken “as the blatant and dangerous interference of the Islamic Republic of Iran in not only the affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain, but also in the affairs of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as well as the Arab countries is continuing and worsening without the slightest regard for values, law or morality, or the principles of good neighbourliness or commitment to the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.”
Such a trend “confirms a determination to spread devastation and destruction and to provoke unrest and strife in the region by providing protection and support for terrorists and extremists and smuggling weapons and explosives for use by its affiliated terrorist cells to kill innocent people,” the ministry said.
Iran fully responsible
GCC Secretary General Abdul Lateef Al Zayani held the Iranian authorities fully responsible for such terrorist acts, stressing that their failure to prevent the attacks represented a serious breach of Iran’s obligations to protect diplomatic missions under the 1961 Vienna Convention and international law.
The GCC chief denounced Iran’s “hostile and inciting” statements against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia following the execution of convicted terrorists, stressing that they represented a blatant interference in Saudi Arabia’s domestic affairs and ignited and encouraged the attacks on the Saudi diplomatic missions.
GCC countries rally together behind Saudi Arabia, condemn such terrorist acts against its diplomatic missions in Iran, and hold the Iranian authorities fully responsible for them, Al Zayani said.
GCC states also reiterate their full support to the measures taken by Saudi Arabia to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and to arrest the perpetrators of terrorist acts and inciters of sedition and bring them to justice, he added.
UAE summons Iran ambassador
In the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday summoned Iran’s Ambassador Mohammad Reza Fayyad, and handed him a written protest note over the Iranian interference in the sovereign affairs of the fraternal country of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the attacks on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashad, WAM reported.
“These acts represent a violation of international charters and norms,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
In the Bahraini capital Manama, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it “strongly condemned the two terrorist attacks on the embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Tehran and its consulate in Mashad in the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
In a statement, the ministry reiterated that “these demagogic and barbarian acts represent flagrant violation of the international norms and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which provide the security and protection of the diplomatic missions.”
“The Kingdom of Bahrain urges the Islamic Republic of Iran to assume its full responsibilities and secure the required protection to the diplomatic premises and their staff, as well as taking deterrent legal measures against rioters,” the statement said.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs highly appreciates the efforts exerted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in order to consolidate peace and stability at regional and international levels and its high international esteem for its constructive initiatives. The Kingdom of Bahrain reaffirms its unequivocal support to all measures to be taken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to thwart any threat to the regional or international security,” the ministry said in the statement carried by Bahrain News Agency (BNA),
Bahrain also reiterates its solidarity with Saudi Arabia in all actions to guarantee the safety and security of the Saudi people and eventually eliminate any threat to their peace or achievements, the statement added.
In Kuwait, the foreign ministry issued a statement sharply condemning the attacks by Iranian demonstrators on the Saudi embassy in Tehran, and the Saudi consulate in Mashad.
Iranian authorities should shoulder their responsibility for protecting the embassy and ensuring the safety of its staff, the statement by a ministry spokesperson said.
“Such attacks are a flagrant violation of Vienna Convention that requires States to protect and safeguard diplomatic missions and to ensure the safety of their staff,” the statement, carried by Kuwait News Agency (Kuna) said.
The spokesperson called on Iranian authorities to abide by all international rules and norms which state the respect of states’ sovereignty and non-interference in their internal affairs.
The spokesperson reiterated Kuwait’s support to all measures adopted by Saudi Arabia to maintain its security and stability.
In Amman, Jordan strongly condemned the storming of the Saudi embassy in Tehran and said it constituted a flagrant violation of the international law and relevant conventions.
State Minister for Media Affairs and Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani voiced Jordan’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia in facing extremism and terrorism.
He also condemned the Iranian interference and anti-Saudi Arabia rhetoric following the execution of convicted Saudi persons, Petra News Agency reported.
Momani said that diplomatic missions should be protected and respected in line with the international law, the official news agency added.
