Dubai: To Bahrainis, the warning issued by Qasim Sulaimani, the commander with the Revolutionary Guards, on Monday was merely a confirmation of the hostile stances taken by some Iranian officials against Bahrain in recent years.
A study of the statements issued by Iranians regrading Bahrain between February 2011 and May 2013 concluded that the kingdom remains a direct target in the Iranian plans for the region.
The study prepared by the Gulf Centre for Strategic Studies said that more than 160 antagonistic statements were issued by Iranians in the two-year period.
Among those who spoke against Bahrain were the Supreme Leader who made six statements, the foreign minister made eight, the spokesperson for the foreign ministry and the foreign ministry undersecretary for Arab and African affairs made 14 each and parliamentary commission officials made 16.
The other statements were made by officials with lower ranks.
According to the study, several statements were clear incitement to violence and to resist the local authorities.
Many of the statements were not limited to Bahrain and targeted other countries in the Gulf, mainly Saudi Arabia.
The study found out that the Iranian media regularly resorted to emotions to stir sectarianism and to incite the people against the authorities.
Proxies, mainly in Iraq and Lebanon, were also used in the campaigns targeting Bahrain.
