Manama: Bahrain has distanced itself from anti-Iran statements published by local media, saying that they did not reflect the country's official stance.
"Bahrain is against anything that could harm its robust relations with all sisterly and friendly countries," Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, the foreign minister, said.
"We totally reject what has recently been published in the media. It does not reflect the orientations of King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa on the issue or the respect that Bahrain has for the Islamic Republic of Iran. It does not mirror either our keenness on the development of bilateral relations, especially in light of the current situation that requires joint efforts to address any threat to stability and security in the region," Shaikh Khalid reportedly said during a meeting with Hussain Amirabdolahian, Iran's ambassador to Bahrain.
Bahrain News Agency (BNA) did not refer to the "controversial" statements, but several columnists and journalists have been publishing reports and analyses accusing Tehran of seeking to expand its power and influence in the region and contrasting its stances with the recent Turkish attitudes.
