Manama: Bahrain has reiterated its appreciation of the initiatives taken by US President Donald Trump to counter threats by the Iranian regime.

Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa said the initiatives coupled with determination to combat terrorism “reflect the US realisation of the sources of danger in the region and its desire to cooperate closely with the countries of the region to face threats and ultimately achieve peace and security”.

The Bahraini minister was holding talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington.

Bahrain has long called for countering Iran’s meddling in its domestic affairs, describing it as a “direct threat and unacceptable interference.”

Manama also charged that Iranian forces were behind terror attacks in the kingdom.

In May, Bahrain welcomed Trump’s decision to pull out from the nuclear deal with Iran, saying it mirrored US commitment to confront Iranian policies and Tehran’s continuous attempts to spread terrorism.

“The agreement was characterised by several shortcomings, most importantly not addressing Iran’s ballistic missile programme and its threat to the security and stability of the region through its interference in the internal affairs of other countries and its support of militias in these countries,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement shortly after Trump made his announcement.

“Bahrain also calls upon all other signatories to the agreement to consider the security and peace of the region and to take steps similar to those of the US.”

The international community should take measures to make Iran respect the sovereignty of its neighbours and not interfere in their domestic affairs as well as prevent it from funding and supporting extremist militias in the region, the ministry said.

Shaikh Khalid in a series of tweets praised the leadership of the US president and lashed out at the deal.

“The decision by President Donald Trump to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal and to re-impose sanctions on the Iranian regime is an outstanding leadership stance. Bahrain supports and welcomes it,” he posted on the microblog.

“The Iran nuclear deal was weak and crippled. It was a flawed agreement that freed Iran’s hand to tamper with the security and stability of the region. Today, thank God, it collapsed.”

Bahrain had insisted before the deal was struck that the whole region should benefit from it and that it should not be at the expense of some countries.

“We need a good agreement that protects the interests of countries in the region altogether, and not only one country getting what it wants from world powers while disregarding interests of the remaining countries in the region,” Shaikh Khalid told the Bahraini parliament in 2015.

Bahrain warned Iran could use the deal and the related financial profits to increase its interference in the domestic affairs of countries in the region.