Iran ready to develop ties with neighbors, including Bahrain

“The promotion of relations with regional countries, including Bahrain, is among the [Iranian] administration’s policies,” Kan’ani told Iran’s Arabic-language television news network al-Alam TV.

Kan’ani said Iran’s neighborliness policy includes boosting relations with regional countries based on common interests.

“In view of a promising prospect, we can witness the realization of new conditions in relations with the regional countries, including Bahrain.”

“Bahrain is not an exception,” he reiterated. “Fortunately, we are witnessing good diplomatic moves in this regard as well. Parliamentary diplomacy has also been almost activated in this regard.”

The Russian news agency ‘Sputnik’ reported on Monday evening, quoting informed sources, that important talks are currently underway between Iran and Bahrain in order to normalize relations.

It reported, quoting the mentioned sources, that the consultations that have taken place between the two countries so far have been on a bilateral level and without mediation, and it is likely that the results will be announced soon if there is an agreement on all the disputed issues.

Bahraini Parliament Speaker Ahmed Al Musallam also said on Sunday that Manama is open to improving bilateral relations with Iran.

As a start of mending relations, Al Musallam said, there have been talks of reopening air routes between the two countries.

On January 4, 2016, Bahrain followed Saudi Arabia’s decision by severing diplomatic relations with Iran, after Iranian protesters, enraged by the execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr by the Saudi government, stormed its diplomatic mission in Iran.

On Friday, after several days of intensive negotiations hosted by China, Iran and Saudi Arabia finally clinched a deal to restore diplomatic relations and re-open embassies and missions within two months.

In a joint statement, Iran and Saudi Arabia highlighted the need to respect each others’ national sovereignty and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of one another.

Iran, Saudi Arabia and China also expressed their firm determination to make their utmost efforts to promote regional and international peace and security.

MNA/PR