Iranian envoy offers to help set up Persian language institute in Bahrain

Manama: Iran is reinforcing its charm offensive towards Bahrain by offering to assist in setting up a Persian language course at the University of Bahrain whose 20,000 students make up the country's largest learning congregation, Iranian ambassador to Bahrain said.

The offer was presented by Iran's ambassador to Manama Hussain Amir Abdollahian to education minister Majid Al Nuaimi who oversees higher education in the Arabic-speaking kingdom. The diplomat said that Iran was also keen on promoting bilateral academic exchanges.

Fellowships

"Setting up courses in Persian at the University of Bahrain and exchanging academic fellowships are opportunities to reinforce educational, cultural and scientific relations and cooperation between Bahrain and Iran," Abdollahian was on Thursday quoted as saying by the Iranian news agency.

No Bahraini official was immediately available for comment. Earlier attempts by Iranian officials to establish a chair at the University of Bahrain have failed, but no explanation from either side was offered.

The University of Bahrain teaches its courses in Arabic and English, and has separate study courses in French.

However, the ministry of education offers languages courses, including French, Spanish, Russian, and Turkish in special learning centres, while several Manama-based embassies have set up small schools to teach their native languages to students in their community.