Manama: Bahrain has reiterated its support to the new strategy adopted by the US towards Iran aiming to tackle the danger of the Iranian policies that undermine security and stability in the region.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa told the ambassadors of France, Germany and Britain that Bahrain welcomed the US strategy to overcome the shortcomings of the nuclear agreement and stop Iran’s subversive interference and support of terrorist groups in the region.

It also seeks to prevent the threats of Iran’s ballistic missile programme and thus ensure peace and security in the region and across the world, Shaikh Khalid added he received the three envoys whose countries were involved in the nuclear deal.

The agreement was signed in 2015 by Iran, the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, and China, plus Germany.

At the meeting with Shaikh Khalid, Germany’s Alfred Simms-Protz, Britain’s Simon Martin and France’s Cecile Longe presented a joint statement issued by the joint committee of the parties to the nuclear agreement with Iran, explaining the efforts of their countries to maintain the deal and preserve what has been achieved in order to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear state.

Last month, Bahrain said the decision of US President Donald Trump to pull out from the nuclear deal with Iran reflected his country’s commitment to confronting Iranian policies and Tehran’s continuous attempts to spread terrorism in the region in full violation of international norms and laws.

“The agreement was characterised by several shortcomings, most important of which was 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 as well as 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 added.

In a series of tweets, Shaikh Khalid 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 of 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, not one country getting what it wants from world powers while disregarding interests of remaining countries in the region,” Shaikh Khalid told the parliament in 2015.

Bahrain warned that Iran could use the financial gains from the deal to increase its interference in the domestic affairs of countries in the region.